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I
DEVONSHIRE DIALECT.
RAB. What dost thee gook thee head vor : look up,
wo't? What art tozing over the book vor?
BET. Turning out the dog's ears.
Page 2.
DEVONSHIRE COURTSHIP,
IN FOUR PARTS,
TO WHICH IS ADDD
A GLOSSAKY.
Dcbonport :
W. WOOD, 52, FORE STEEET.
HOULSTON & WEIGHT, 65, PATEENOSTEE EOW ;
AND ALL BOOKSELLERS AND RAILWAY
BOOK STALLS.
DEC 20
" \\
1963 )!
&/J
873175
PREFACE.
THE rapid sale of the last Edition of
this Work having called for another in
a short period, the Publisher has only
to repeat what has been said before
respecting the motive which led to its
first publication.
These Dialogues were originally
written by Mrs. Palmer, of Great Tor-
rington, a sister to Sir Joshua Reynolds.
IV PREFACE.
From this lady's manuscript, which
had been occasionally shewn to several
friends, extracts were taken, and from
time to time inserted in various pub-
lications, in many instances without
connexion, and in most without any
acknowledgement of the source whence
derived ; but a little work appeared
under the title of " A Dialogue in the
Devonshire Dialect," from a copy con-
taining a portion only of the original,
with an extensive Glossary of the
provincial terms therein used. From
these circumstances, Mrs. Gwatkin, a
daughter of Mrs. Palmer, was induced
to publish the whole, from the original
manuscript in her possession.
It may also be briefly noticed,
that no freedom has been used with
the provincialisms in the text. They
PREFACE. V
appear as at first written. A trifling
difference will be observed in the
orthography of a few minor words,
which are peculiar to country dis-
course, and therefore to be considered
a difference from choice. In other
instances, where a variation has occur-
red through the press, in orthography
which should be preserved, or where
an explanatory note has been omitted,
full justice is done them in the Glos-
sary, written, for the most part, by the
late Rev. John Phillips, of Membury,
Devon, and appended to the Work.
With respect to the tendency of
the Book, judgement is left with the
Reader. A few points appear to have
been conspicuously kept in view, viz.,
a faithful rural, rather than rustic
grouping, with skilful natural colour-
VI PREFACE.
ing, and select disposition of light
and shade ; while the Reader's atten-
tion may be called to the excellent
moral which pervades the whole.
DEVONSHIRE DIALECT.
PART I.
CHARACTERS :
JOHN Hoao, A Farmer.
DAME, His Wife.
BETTY, His Servant Maid.
BAT, The Apprentice Boy.
ROBIN, Betty's Lover.
ROBIN, seeing his Sweetheart, BETTY, in a field, sprang
over the stile to meet her.
EAB. Zo, Bet, how is't ? How de try P 1
Where hast a' be thicka way ? Where dost come
from?
BET. Gracious, Eab ! you gush'd 3 me. I've
a be up to vicarige, to vet 3 a book vor dame,
and was looking to zt e if there be any shows 4
in en, when you wisk'd over the stile and galled 5
me.
1 How do you do ? 4 Prints or Pictures.
2 Scared. 5 Frightened.
3 Fetch.
EAB. And dost thee loot so like a double-
rose when thee art a ' galled, Bet ? What dost
thee gook 1 thee head von look up, wo't ?
BET. Be quiet : let 'lone my hat, wol ye ?
EAB. What art tozing 2 over the book vor ?
BET. Turning out the dog's ears.
EAB. 'Ot is it a story-book ?
BET. I wish 'twas, I love story-books dearly j
many nearts 3 I've a' zit up when all the volks
have a' be a-bed, and a' rede till es have had a
crick in the niddick, 4 or a' burn'd my cep.
EAB. And dost love to rede stories about
spirits and witches ?
BET. I'll tell thee. I was wan neart reding
a story-book about spirits, that com'd and
draw'd back the curtains at the bed's voot (and
there was the ghastly pictures o'em). The
clock had beat wan, when an owl screech'd 'pon
the top o' the chimley, and made my blood rin
cold. I ziin'd 5 the cat zeed zum 6 'ot : the door
creaked, and the wind hulder'd 7 in the chimley
like thunder. I prick'd up my ears, and pre-
sently zum 'ot, very hurrisome, went dump!
dump ! dump ! I would a' geed my life vor a
varden. 8 Up I sprung, drow'd down my candle,
1 Hang down. 6 Saw something.
2 To pull or tumble. 7 The wind blowing with vio*
3 Nights. lence and impetuosity,
4 Back of the neck. 8 Farthing,
& Thought,
and dented 1 en; and hadn't a blunk 2 o' fire
to teen 3 en again. What could es do ? I was
afear'd to budge. At last I took heart, and
went up stears backward, that nort inert* catch
me by the heels. I didn't unray 5 mysel vor
the neart, nor teen'd 6 my eyes, but healed 7 up
my head in the quilt, and my heart bump't zo,
ye could hear en ; and zo I lied panking 8 till
peep o' day.
RA.B. Poor Bet ! why if a vlea had hopp'd
into thy ear thee wot a' swoon'd.
BET. You may well enew laugh at me, but
I can't help et, nor vor bear reding the books
when I come athort 'em. But I'll tell thee :
I've a' thoft pon't zince, that the dump !
dump ! dump ! that galled me zo, was nort
else but our great dog diggin out his vleas
against the dresser.
KAB. Like enew : I marvel that you, who
ha zo much inde.1 and oudel 9 work to do, can
vend time vor reding ; but then, it zeerns, you '
rede when you ought to zleep.
BET. Why, you must know, Dame dosn't
like I shu'd rede zich books ; it be other
lucker 10 books us ha' vrom the Pason; and
1 Extinguished. 6 Closed.
2 Spark. 7 Covered.
3 Light. 8 Panting.
4 Nothing might. 9 In- doors and out-doors.
5 Undress. 10 Sort, or like.
when us ha' done up our chewers, 1 and 'tis
candle-teeming, 2 Measter takes hiszell to the
alehouse, I take up my knitting, and Dame
redes to me. Good now : es may ha' as many
books vrom the Pason as us wol, he ne'er zaith
her nay, and he hath a power* o' em, that a'
hath.
BAB. O ! Cryle, 4 Bet, I'd a' geed 5 ever zo
much had thee a' zeed the Pason in the wood a
leet 6 rather. Thee casn't think what items and
anticks 7 a' had noddling his head, blasting 8
up his ees, drowing out his hands, telling to
hiszell, and then telling out hard.
BET. Well ; and 'ot did a' zay ?
EAB. The goodger 9 knows what, vor nort
could I make o'te. A squat down upon the
mores 10 of a great oak, and look'd stark at
some mose 11 a' had a' grabbl'd 12 vro the tree ;
and I zim a' zaid words to 't, before a yenn'd 1S
it away, and zeem'd in a brown stiddy, poking
'his stick in the ground. I peep'd to zee if a'
was making any zircles 14 or gallitraps, when up
a' rak'd, 15 all to wance, and vetch'd a vege la to
1 Jobs. 10 Roots.
2 Candle-light. 11 Moss.
3 A great number. 12 Grappled.
4 An exclamation. 13 Threw.
5 Given. 14 Circles,
6 A little while ago. 1 5 Eose up in a hurry.
7 Wild gesticulation. 16 To retire a few steps,
8 Lifting up his eyes. in order to rush on
9 The Devil. with more violence.
thicka plash et 1 where you and me zeed the
Jackee Lanthern and took a bard 2 out o' a
springle, that zumbody had a' teel'd ; 3 a' took
en in his hand, and told to en, as thof a' had
a'be telling to a Christian, and bid en do zum
'ot, I didn't hear what, and the poor fool
whisk'd away wi' half his errand. Oh ! (with a
shake of his head) what a pity 'tis, vor he's an
over good man.
BET. Zo, you zim he's maz'd, I'll warnes ? 4
No more, look y' d'ye zee, than you be :
maz'd ! a kether. 5
RAB. Na, dant'e be mift : 6 I zay no more
than all the parish zaith, fegs ! I'm sure I'd
crope 7 upon my hands and knees to do en
good, at inidneart, as zoon as mid-day. Well,
but what dost thee make o'te ?
BET. Why, I be o' Dame's meend. 8 Her
zaith, that wan o' his laming vends oceans o'
things that gee en pleasure, that other volks see
nort in ; and zum that may gall 9 en, and put
en out a' zorts, that other volks make nort o'
and when you zim he's telling to hiszell, a' may
be zaying his prayers out a book.
RAB. Like enew, zure ; but I was a' gest a'
was going to conjure.
1 Quagmire. 6 Offended.
2 Bird. 7 Creep.
3 Set. 8 Mind.
4 Warrant. 9 Yex.
5 Forsooth.
G
BET. The dickins I 1 If T thort a' coud con-
jure, I'd beg en to conjure the evil spirit out o'
nay Measter into the Red Zea. Thee casn't
think, Rab, what a ranticomscour 2 us ha' had
to our houze to-day. If I'd a' vound the Pason
at home, by now, I had a' be up, and told en
all about it, fegs !
RAB. Prithee, what was the tantarra 3 about ?
BET. Why, you must know, the puggin4 end
o' our linney, 5 next the pig's loose, 6 geed way,
and was slew'ring 7 down : Measter was stand-
ing by the tallet, 8 when the cob wall 9 slewer'd 10
away, all to wance, and made such a stew'r, 11
that a' corn'd in, heal'd with brist 12 and grute. 13
" Bet," zays a', " go, vet me the lattin 14 cup o'
best drink, the pilm's 15 a' go down my droat,
and I'm jist a' mickled. 16 "
RAB. Choak'en ! a' hath always zom pre-
tence vor gulging 17 in a morning ; if a' dothn't
leve off, a' will soon turn up his trotters I'll
tell en but that.
1 An exclamation. 12 Small dnst or prickles
2 Uproar. of furze. Granula-
3 Disturbance. ted earth.
4 Gable end. 13 The earth from a mud
5 A lean to. wall. Grute, from
6 Pig's sty. the French crotte.
7 Falling down. 14 Tin cup.
8 Hay loft. 15 Flying dust.
9 Mud wall. 16 Choked.
10 Gave way. 1 7 Drinking.
11 Cloud of dust.
BET. Dame was zot down to brextfast, and
zaid to en : " You had better drink tey, Jahn
Hogg." "Burn your tey," a' yerr'd 1 to her,
" 'tis the ruin o' the nation. If I was a king,
I'd make et treason to drink ort but organ 2
tey." Then, looking about upon me : " Why
dont'e budge ?" " I thort," quoth I, " you was
going to drink tey?" "You thort! Marry
come up I'm come to a fine pass indeed," a'
zaid, " to be hamper'd and allowanc'd by Dame
and you, what I shall eat, and what I shall
drink. I'll be Measter, or turn the doors out to
winders." 3 Wi' that, the witherly dolt 4 up wi'
his voot, and yenn'd 6 over the tey-kittle, that
was but jist hove 6 off the vire, and vlosh'd 7 the
water over Dame a' takes the teypot, and
stram-bang 8 thicka 9 goes out o' the winder, and
tore, 10 I don't know how many, quarrils 11 of
glass.
BAB. All the better : let en pay for his
quarrels.
BET. How smart you be ! Then he geed
the tadle zich a jet, 12 that all the things was
waiving 13 over; and if I hadn't a' be quick and
1 Swore. 8 To fling violently.
2 Pennyroyal. 9 Thickee, this ;
3 Windows. Thicka, that.
4 Clumsy person. 10 Broke.
5 Threw. 11 Panes.
6 Lifted. 12 Push.
7 Spilt. 13 Rolling.
8
ruged 1 it away, a' wid a' jet over the board, and
a' torn it all to shords. 2 Charming good cream
as thick as stodge, a' shod 3 and slotter'd 4 all
about ; and the bread and butter, that many a
poor soul wid a' jumpt abew 5 ground vor, lied
smeeching 6 and vrizzing in the vire. A' slat
and scat 7 the things about as thof the goodger
was in en. Wan wid a' thort a' was begayged. 8
Never was sich a stirridge 9 sit up for nort.
BAB. Babbit 10 en ! If I'd a' be Dame, I'd
a claw'd the jolterhead 11 o' en. I'd zee and
break the lowering 13 lubber of his fractious
tricks. Good, now, what did her zay to et ?
BET. Nort but sift 13 and look'd like wan
quailing u away ; and then a' call'd her a purt-
ing ls glumpot, and out a' march 'd, and slamm'd
the door arter en, as thof a' wid a' torn down
the dorns. 16
BAB. Gemini ! Wid any body, but a crowd-
ling sokey, 17 take it, to be kerpt l8 over by zich
a piggish looby ? I didn't think Dame was
1 Put away hastily. 9 Commotion.
2 Sherds. 10 An oath.
3 Spilt. 11 Blockhead.
4 Slopped. 12 A down-looking fellow.
5 Above. 13 Sighed.
6 Making an offensive 14 Fainting ; being
smell. depressed.
7 To throw things about ISA sulky person.
with violence, in an 16 Door posts,
ill temper. 17 Timid creature.
8 Bewitched. 18 Kept under.
zich a sart and fair tottle. 1 Why don't her
take a good smart rad for en ?
BET. Oh Cryle, Eab ! her ban't the totle
you zeem ; but her thinks if her was to begin to
haggy 2 wi'en there would be no hoa. 3 Why,
her ne'er so much as drows et vore to en. Dear
me, that zich a vitty 4 tidy body should vail to
his lot wan so stewardly, 5 that can turn her
hand to any kindest thing : and good now,
though her looketh zo puny and pinikin, 6 her
doth more than wan that zeems to lowster, 7 and
work harder. Her be always clean, if it be but
in a touser. 8 " Cleanliness," her saith, " is next
to Godliness."
EAB. I'll tell thee what our Pason zaid I
was told it by wan who heard en speak the
words " Farmer Hogg's wife is a pattern ; her
and her houze be always in order. At zome
places where I come, there's sich a wiping and
righting, before wan can zit down, it's no com-
fort to call upon 'em."
BET. Very true, zure. I was at a neigh-
bour's, t'other day, whan the Pason call d ; and
as zoon as her glimps'd en, her jumpt up, and
cried, " Gracious ! here comes our Pason :" and
1 Soft and fair fool. 5 Managing.
2 To argue. 6 Delicate.
3 End, stop. 7 Bustle about.
4 Neat. 8 A coarse apron.
10
her whipp'd 1 aside to turn her apern then her
veil to sweeping, and clapping aside the things
and mit en, looking twenty ways to wance,
wi' : " Zure, Zir, you be come to a cruel 2 untidy
houze."
RAB. Wan thing, your Dame is always at
home: you ne'er zee her at any high- de- lows 3
or gapesnests 4 in the parish.
BET. Her hath no junketing 5 doings, nor
ne'er go'th aneest 6 they that ha'; nor widn't
care if her ne'er budg'd over the drekstool 7 from
wan week to another : a drap o' tey, and a
book, is all the comfort her hath, poor soul !
and that is wishee-washee stuff.
RAB. I've a' herd, her had a power of sweet-
hearts where her com d vro . Hard to go thro'
the wood, and take a crooked stick at last.
Zure her couldn't lov' en ?
BET. Lov' en ? guotha ! No, that's a zure
thing.
RAB. Why did her ha' en then ?
BET. Why ? Because her coudn't say nay
to her vather ; the jail take the old curmud-
geon, 8 zay I. I didn't care if the old tantara-
bobos 9 had en A geed a good stub 10 wi' her, too.
1 Turned hastily aside. 6 Nigh.
2 Sad. 7 Threshold.
3 Feastings and merry 8 Covetous fellow.
makings. 9 The Devil.
4 Sights. 10 Portion or sum of
5 Private entertainments. money.
11
RAB. A hugeous heave up, 1 truly, if her
hadn't a varding, to marry zich a stingy hunks *
zich a swaggering, hectoring bragadocia. 3
BET. Ah ! me. Before her married, her was
as peart* as a bard, and as cherry 5 as a crop o'
fresh apple blooth ; 6 but now, poor soul, her's
like a daver'd 7 rose sweet in the midst o te.
EAB. Aye, the blue 8 o the plum's ago, zure !
BET. I meend 9 when a' brought her home,
how her was admir'd. Her mother com'd wi'
her, and a comely, bowerly 10 'oinan her was, as
wan should wish to zee a notable, thorough-
paced, stewardly body ; and widn't turn her
back to any wan for making squab-pies, and
pot-and- puddings.
E.AB. Yolks zaid her was rather too high to
instep j 11 a little grainee, 12 or zo. The vather
was a ghastly figure, wi' his bandy legs, and
shewl-a- mouth 13 hatchet face : w I couldn't
abide en.
BET. He was sich a hen-huswife, wan coudn't
1 A great piece of good 10 Handsome, of a cer-
fortune. tain size. Buirdly,
2 Miser. (Scottish,) stoutly
3 Braggart. 11 Haughty. [built.
4 Lively. 12 Proud, ill-tempered.
5 Ruddy. 13 Shovel-mouthed.
6 Blossom. 14 Ugly face ; such as
7 Withered. might be hewn out Q
S Bloom. of a block by a
9 Remember. hatchet. Johnson.
12
turn a dish vor en always something to zay :
a' know'd how everything was to be do, better
than any body else ; b\it I don't know anything
a' was good vor, but making a wassail 1 bowl.
BAB. Crymanias, 2 Bet ! I wish instead of
Dame the Measter had thicka stare-bason tug-
ster, 3 Moll Teazy. Zich a riff-raff taterde-
malion 4 was good enew vor en. Her's another
gess 5 'oman than Dame none of your mealy-
mouth wans ; but, tit for tat, wid a' geed en as
good as a' brought, and laff'd, 6 and tack d her
hands at en, when a' was in his vagaries. Thicka
spitfire wid a' vitted en to a T.
BET. Aye, that her wid, with a sissarary. 7
But had he ever a simathin 8 vor thicka harum-
scarem solvege h 9
BAB. I's, zure, a' had a sneeking kindness
vor her, that s a zure thing. It's much, how a'
could like zich a yoky molekit 10 zich an un-
souterly malkin. 11 A' wanted me to be his
gubs, 12 thank en ; but his uncle stat 13 the
match. I'm mistake if a' hathn't a hankering
arter her now.
1 A liquor made of 7 Certiorari.
apples, sugar, 8 Liking, partiality,
and ale. 9 A term of reproach.
2 Gracious. 10 A yellow, unhealthy
3 Bold looking woman. looking person.
4 Ragged, dirty. 11 Wench, a dirty woman.
6 Sort. 12 Go between.
6 Laughed. 13 Stopt.
13
BET. Oh ! no, no, nort in that : rather at
daggers drawing. Why, the mother and darter
rag 1 and scan 2 en, whenever they come atwart
en. I coudn t think what 'twas vor, they bally -
ragg'd en zo bevore. It 'twas but last week
that ever was, I was coming home vrom milk-
ing, and zeeing zo many volks in the Church-
town, at their hatches 3 and winders, and about
the alehouse door Gracious, what's towards
now, thort I. When I com'd vore, what should
it be but the old Mall trimming up my Measter,
and yerring to en, " Haw you ! haw you !" and
he wringing up his vist to her, and swearing he
would her bevore her betters, and trounce her,
if there was any law in the land. Her bust 4
Out a laffing, " What, for zaying, ' Haw you ? '
Why, I'll zay, P goth vor purse, and vor proud,
and vor puppy ; now, make the most o'te :" and
drawing out her voot and clapping her arms
a kimbow (like a bobbing Joan), her defied he
and his law. " I hate," quoth the darter, " a
hollow-hearted, black-liver 'd rogue." " Zay
another word, Dem, 5 " zays a,' "and I'le pull
your poll." " Do, if you dare ; ye daren't."
KAB. Aye, the young one is the very daps 6
o' her mother ; another such a hauch-a-
1 Chide and Scold, 4 Burst.
2 Scoff. 5 Hussy.
3 Half door of a cottage. 6 Likeness.
B
14
mouth 'd, 1 hagaging, 2 maundering 3 drab. Woe
betide the man that hath her !
BET. Take 'em every way, I dan't think
they have their peer.
RAB. For make-bates, 4 I'll warrant. It
wasn't vor want o' a good will, the litter-legg'd
trapes 5 hadn't a' blow'd a coal between you and
me ; if it hadn't been vor you, I'd a' made her
cry pecavi I'd a' made her eat her words, that
I wid.
BET. I shou'd a' cry'd my eyes out, to a' be
made the talk o' the parish, and rail'd 6 over by
they that don't care what lies they tell.
RAB, Mall can speak truth zometirnes. Her
did, when her zaid, I lov'd Betty Berry's little
vinger better than any 'oman on the vace o' the
earth. Her might have zaid, I lov'd the very
ground her went upon.
BET. Co, a fig's end 7 ! Well, I must trudge
home : I'm a' guess, I've a' be lack'd 8
RAB. Why, stay a crume. 9 When I twitch'd
ye by the gownd, yesterday, coming out o'
church, why didn't ye look about ? I wid a'
treated ye with zome special buns and topping
ale at the " Pigeons." How did I loss thee ?
1 To speak with a broad 5 An idle, slatternly
accent is called in woman.
Devonshire, hauching. 6 Talked over.
2 Passionate. 7 Nonsense.
3 Grumbling 8 Looked for.
4 Mischief makers. 9 A little bit.
15
BET. Dame and me didn't go the leach 1 way,
but down along the lane, and over the vreath, 2
and made the best o' our way home. Good
now, her can't abide zich may- games and high-
de-lows 3 Sabbath days. Gracious ! what a
hurly-burly 'twas ! How the volks veased 4 out
o' church higgeldy-piggeldy, helter-skelter :
zich jitting, 5 driving, and dringing. 6 I thort
no other, but I shou'd be squat 7 to death. I'll
never go to church of a Eail Zinday again, I'll
be bound vor't.
EAB. It was who shou'd get virst to the
" Pigeons," to get a good place.
BET. Our zeat was zo full as it cou'd cram,
when who shou'd come in but Joice Jollard and
Euth Kumpson, and wedg'd themselves in,
panking and weezing, zo red as two roost cocks,
tittering, and vanning wi' their hats, as thof
'twas cruel buldering, 8 quelstering 9 weather.
EAB. That was to show their high-peak'd
loady 10 heads, wi' a wallage 11 o' hair, plaster'd
with mort 12 and flour, bevore, and a thumping
nug 13 behind, bedizzen'd with rory tory 14 rib-
1 Common way. 8 Sultry.
2 A low hedge. 9 Hot.
3 Feastings. 10 High-dressed, loaded.
4 Hurried, drove. 11 A lump.
5 Pushing against 12 Lard.
each other. 13 A bunch.
6 Squeezing. 14 Tawdry.
7 Squeezed, crushed.
16
bons, like garters hang'd up in a vair, and
thingembobs in their ears.
BET. Why, good now, that's the tip o'the
mode. I'me told that they join vor a red-book
that tells 'era the fashions : What dost think o'
that?
RAB. Their bacon faces ban't vit to play
tricks wi. I heard an old 'oman zay, her long'd
to gee 'em a good scat in the chaps. 1
BET. They never left edging and vedging 2
till they'd a' shoulder'd themselves up to me :
I wish'd 'em to Jericho : I didn't know which
way to look : I zirn'd every body was gaping
at es.
RAB. I was, vor wan. There, thot I, is the
sweet lily of the valley, peeping under its
leaves : and there is tansy 3 barefaced ; or a rose
and a poppy.
BET. I vound my colour rising, and zeeing
you pat. another, and look at me, that made my
vace burn : and the more I tried to help it, the
worse 'twas ; I could do nort 4 but keep my eyes
on the ground. I heard 'em, whispering and
tittering. I'le warnes they thort I was dash'd 5
to zee zich vine volks as they.
RAB. If you had but a zeed 'em, whan they
com'd out o' church, colting 6 and giggling like
1 Slap in the face. 4 Nothing.
2 Sideling. 5 Daunted.
3 A strong-smelling plant. 6 Frolicking.
17
two hobby-horses, with their pie-pick'd, 1 skit-
tering flimzy gownds, vagging 2 in the wind, or ->v
reeping 3 in the raux. "What!" zays wan,
" is that Joice Jollard and Ruth Rumpson, zo
taring 4 vine ?" " What a flash they cut," zays
another ; " if their mothers was to peep out o'
their graves they widn't know their own children
so transmogrified. 5 Their mothers wared 6 their
hair vrapp'd? back with a vorehead cloth, and
little baize rochets 8 and blue aperns. 9 " Well
sose, 10 what will this world come to !
BET. Look zee ! look ! there they be,
tramping away across the arish up to Rail !
Aye, and there go'th 11 the crowder 12 and a
gubby 13 way en, scouring along.
RAB. Well, Bet, you'll go to zee the wrax-
ling 14 ? Every body keeps holiday to day.
Thee shall daunce vor the cep, and I'll warnes
you'll git en.
BET. I can't, zure.
RAB. Well ! very well !
BET. You be a' purt, now ?
1 Of different colours, 8 Little short cloaks, com-
as pie-balled. monly made of blue
2 Flapping. cloth. See Glossary.
3 Trailing on the 9 Aprons.
ground. 10 Well-a-day.
4 Very. 11 Goes.
5 Metamorphosed. 12 Tiddler.
6 Wore. ISA posse, a number.
7 Drawn tight. 14 Wrestling.
18
EAB. Fegs, Bet, I gess thee widn't 1 meend
my purting : but tell me, then, why thee widn't
go?
BET. Dant'e be pettish, and I wol. Why,
I be gwain 2 to Thatchcot, to zee my old gaffer
and gonmer. 3
EAB. When wot go ? How long virst ?
BET. I can't tell : I ve a good many chew-
ers to do ; and here I be, drilling 4 away my
time.
EAB. Prithee, dant'e be long about 'em;
I'll meet thee here a leet odds of two o'clock,
and bring zome Eail buns in my pocket.
BET. Not vor me ; I' me a glut 5 way em. \
1 Would not. 4 Dawdling.
2 Going. 5 Had more than enough,
3 Grandfather and satiated.
grandmother.
END OP THE FIRST PART.
DEVONSHIRE DIALECT.
PART II.
ROBIN. I was a' gest thee widn't a' coine,
as et began to misslee. 1
BETTY. I can't zay I like to walk in zich
vady, 2 hazy weather : I zem es shall ha' a
slottering 3 walk o'te.
RAB. This dribbling 4 rain will break up
bam by. 3 Look'e, d'ye zee, there's blue enew
in the sky to make thee a rochet.
BET. Po, your eyes mistree. 6
RAB. I can zee, tho,' thee has a cruel pritty
gownd on.
1 To rain in small drops, 4 Small rain.
like a mist. 5 By and by.
2 Damp. 6 Dim-sighted.
3 Dirty, wet.
20
BET. I've a' waddl'd 1 en up vor vear of a
scud, 2 vor if it's wet 'twill cockle. 3
EAB. 'Tis an over modest colour, spick and
span new, 4 is'n it ? You must pay beverage, 5
Bet.
BET. I zay zo, too : why, I bot 6 en last
Eidmas 7 come twelvemonth, of a runabout.
Dame zaith, I was catch'd by the vinger.
Theie's many scovy 8 places in en, it wan't wear
well ; I shall ha' more wit next. I'm very
chary 9 over en ; it never zees zin, but upon
choice times. Come ! pray dout'e cluin 10 en zo.
EAB. What, musn't a body meel 11 way en?
'Tisn't a bit foust 13 nor a voul vinger upon
en. Dost know thee hast a' put on thy hat
backsevore 13 ?
BET. No : have es ? Aye, and my cloak
inzide out. Well, us shan't be pixy 14 led. I
zem, Eab, es had better keep along the lane,
it's cruel poaching 15 in the arish?: bezides,
thicka bull looketh zo shug. 16
1 Folded. 8 Thin, uneven.
2 Shower. 9 Careful.
3 Wrinkle. 10 Paw or handle.
4 Quite new, first worn. 11 Meddle.
5 A treat upon wearing 12 Tumbled or soiled.
a suit of new clothes. 13 The hind part before.
6 Bought. 14 Fairy-led.
7 Roodmas 15 Swampy.
See Glossary. 16 Sly, angry.
21
EAB. Dost think li'll bush 1 thee ?
BET. I wan't trust en ; I wan't go aneest
en, vor ever zo much.
EAB. I'le go and veaze 2 en away.
BET. Oh ! no, dant'e ! vor vear he shou'd
gee thee a poke. 3 Do, Eab, zee : dothn't he
look vor all the world like my Measter ?
EAB. It isn't good your Measter heard you.
Well, how go'th it at home : pritty vitty, or zo,
zo ?
BET. Oh ! nort but jouring 4 and maunder-
nig 5 all day long : every thing went wee- wow. 6
Whan a' com'd home to dinner, the dog rin'd 7
out to meet en, tweedling 8 es tail. " Stand a
war, 9 wo't?" zaid a,' and geed en a voot 10 that
made en youl 11 again. If a' had sparables 12 in
hes shoes, a' must a' lamst 13 en. Well, thort I,
us shall ha' it bam bye, and zo es had, with a
sissarary. I hove off the crock 14 and lade up
the porridge ; a' was ranish 16 vor es dinner,
and zo skinush 16 that nort wid please en. The
1 Toss. 9 Out of the way.
2 Drive. 10 Kick.
3 Gore, to pierce with 1 1 Howl.
a horn. 12 Nails.
4 Scolding. 13 Lamed.
5 Grumbling. 14 Pot.
6 Wrong. 15 Ravenous.
7 Ran. 16 Squeamish.
8 Wagging.
22
meat was zamzau'd 1 and boil'd to jowds, 2 (and
no marvel:) Why did a' lacky 3 zo long, and
keep it zimmering in the crock ? The dumpling
was claggy 4 and pindy 5 ; charming plum 6
bread, a' zaid, was a' clit 7 for want o' barm ;
the cheeze was vinnied 8 and buck'd ; the cyder
was keemy 9 and had a vinegar twang ;
EAB. What next ?
BET. Why, the small beer was a' jarr'd, and
thick as puddle; the ale was a' pirl'd, 10 and
dead as dish-water a'd as lief 11 drink the addle
gutter when, to be zure, the fob 12 was abew
the cup. "Pray," said a,' "haul et out in a
glass, that a body may zee what 'tis ; I want
ha thicka glass, gee me t'other." Howsomever,
bad as 'twas, a' made shurt 13 to gulk 14 down a
quart o'te, and eat a good sliver 15 of vlesh, and
a swapping lunch 16 of pudding. "What,"
quoth" a' to Dame, " art glumping 1 ? ? I zeein
you be a' purt 18 way your dinner, and ha' no
stomach, make wise 19 ; but I'll eat vire if you
1 Overdone. 10 Flat.
2 Rags. 11 As soon.
3 Stay. 12 Froth.
4 Glutinous, sticky. 13 Shift.
5 Mouldy. 14 Swallow.
6 Light. 15 Slice.
7 Heavy. ] 6 Large piece.
8 The green mould 17 Sullen.
in cheese. 18 Offended.
9 Not sound. 19 Make believe.
23
havn't a' vit zome vrozzy 1 or other, and this is
your orts, 2 vried up for me : 111 ha' none of
your cauch 3 : and he jet away the cow-heels off
the board. I told en, ware 4 a' knowd it or no,
my Dame was above doing ort in a hugger-
mugger 6 manner. " What then," zaid a,' " was
all the hurry-scurry when I com'd home?"
"To take up your dinner," zays L "Aye, to
be zure," says a.' "Here, Mrs. Prate-a-pace,
I've a zom'ot to zay to you : I vind you be zich
a blab, that there isn't the leastest thing ado in
my house, but, by your tittle-tattle, it is blazed
all over the parish. You must tell every body
that I was bosky 6 and valid 7 into the mud-
pool."
EAB. What, did a' sure enew ?
BET. Is zure, that a' did, and wid a' be
buddl'd, 8 if Dame and I hadn't a' tugg'd hard
to hawl en out ; a' had no stroil 9 to help hiszell.
" Why," quoth I, " you want offer to zay zo ?
I'm zure I ne'er squeak d 10 a word o'te to any
living zoul." "You tell a stramming 11 lie,"
zaid a': just then zomebody dunip'd to the door,
1 IS ice thing. 7 Fell.
2 Fragments, refuse. 8 Suffocated.
3 Mess, a nasty mixture. 9 Strength.
4 Whether. 10 Spoke.
6 Clandestine. 11 Great.
6 Tipsy.
and in stumpt 1 Gaffer What-ye-call-en, that
kicketh 2 zo ? I can't net es name ?
BAB. Winkinghain, that goeth about to
catch wants 3 ?
BET. The zame. " What," zays a' to the
old man, " be vou come sneving 4 vor a dinner,
and to slock 5 my sarvant to gee 6 what isn't
hers to gee ? " " What me, Measter ? You put
hard upon an old man : my comfort is, not a
living zoul will zay zo but yourzell : I be a'
come to catch your wants to supply my own"
Now, thort I, I'll be to rnits 7 wi' you, Measter,
to gap or to stile ; zo I went right vore to the
old man, " Good now, Gaffar, did I tell you
that Measter was drunk, last Vriday, and vailed
into the mud-pool, and that Dame and I lugg'd
en out ? "
RAB. Bevore George ! you was quits wi' en :
you nick'd 8 en.
BET. The old man grizzl'd 9 : "No, zure,
lovey, I ne'er heard the least inkling 10 o'te :"
and away he turn d to the winder : I cou'd zee
vor what, by the juggling 11 o' his shoulders.
It was jist upon the tip o' my tongue " Shall
1 To press the foot 7 Even.
hard. 8 Caught him at a lucky
2 Stammers. moment.
3 Moles. 9 Laughed.
4 Sneaking. 10 Hint or information.
5 To entice. 1 1 Shaking.
6 Give.
25
I ax 1 any body else ? " but Dame geed me a
look, and J. was glad to get away.
RAB. ~L shuld a' bust 2 wi* laffing.
BET, It was no laffing sport for poor Bat ;
a' vetched out hes mad upon he, and clapper-
claw' d 3 en vinely. A' heard Measter was in his
tantarems, 4 and had a* be up in the chamber,
looking down dro' the squinches 5 in the planch-
ing, 6 and was slinking? down, tiptoe, so gin-
gerly, 8 shrumping^ his shoulders, that he mist
his vooting, and com'd down rouse, 10 stair arter
stair, to the bottom. Measter glimps'd en, and
vall'd aboard o'en like a buIUdog. " Here, you
ragamuffin rabscallion, 11 where be you skulk-
ing to ? 'Twas you, was it, trapping 12 over
head ? What did you there, michard 13 ? Ods-
wilderakins 14 speak ! or I'll maul thy jaws :"
and wi' that a' geed en zich a whister-clister, 15
as made es eyes strike vire.
EAB. The glittish 16 gorbelly 17 pig, I wish
zomebody would maul he zoundly. I wish I'de
1 Ask. 10 With a great noise.
2 Burst. 1 1 Terms of reproach.
3 Tongue-beat, scolded. 12 Walking.
4 Vagaries. 13 Micher, a lazy loiterer.
6 Chinks. 14 An exclamation.
6 Floor. 15 Box in the ear.
7 Stealing, to creep slily. 16 Cruel, savage.
8 Softly. 17 Big-bellied.
9 Shrugging.
C
26
the trimming o'en, the slouching lubber, 1 odds
danget, I'de lerrick 2 en to the true ben. 3
BET. Oh ! Jaykle, 4 this was but a vlea bite,
if you did but zee how a' will fulch 5 en and
thump en about zometimes ; and the leet win-
die 6 darent blubber or weeny, 7 but siffeth and
look'th zo pittis, 8 'tis enew to make a body's
heart ache.
RA.B. I'm zure it hath made my heart ache
to zee the crisimore, 9 by peep o'day, in his leet
scrimp 10 jerkin, like a bard that isn't flush, 11
trouncing l2 in the mux after the bosses, squash,
squash, stratted 13 up to the huxeiis 14 in plid,
the innocent vace o'en like basam, 15 and hes
poor hands plim'd 16 up wi' chilbladders, 17 hez
hair stivering 18 an end wi' the wind, and a drap
hanging to the nose o'en like a conkable. 19
BET. Aye, and when a' com'th home stiv'd 20
wi' the cold, a' can't come neest 21 a blunk o'
vire, and may be, nort but a crab 23 o' dry bread
vor hes supper.
1 Clownish booby. 12 Floundering.
2 Chastise. 13 Splashed.
3 Truth of it. 14 Hocks, ankles.
4 Exclamation. 15 The red heath broom,
5 A blow or push. 16 Swelled.
6 See Glossary. 17 Chilblains.
7 Cry. 18 Standing.
8 Sorrowful. 19 Icicle.
9 Little creature- 20 Starved or shivering.
10 Short. 21 Near.
11 Feathered. 22 Crust.
27
RAB. No marvel lie looketh so thirl, 1 poor
boy. I met en at the mill, t' other day, and a'
begg'd of all love they wid zend en away wi'
his grist, or a' should be bang'd wan a' com'd
home, vor staying ; zo I let en ha' my steem-
ing, 2 vor I was there bevore he. Well, sose !
no body knows to whose take their poor chil-
dren may come ; hes mother doted upon en ; a'
was the nestle draft 3 ; a' could but jist daggle 4
about when her died ; a' was a poor puny thing,
her had an ocean o' trouble way en : and her,
poor zoul, took by upon the death o' her hus-
band, and ne'er gooded 5 arter.
BET. I've made a shurt 6 to larn en his let-
ters, and his prayers ; and wan day a' was kneel-
ing to my knees, zaying arter me, " Give es this
day our daily bread," a ream'd 7 up his neck,
wi' his sweet begging eyes, and zaid, zart in my
ear, " Mayn't es ax vor a crume 8 o' butter
'pon't?" I hugg'd en in, and zaid, "Be a
good boy, and you wan't lack butter 'pon your
bread."
EAB. Pretty zoul ! a 1 made rare gammet 9
vor es at the " Pigeons" last neart, whan a*
brought his Measter's great coat. Hogg was
1 Lean, thin, meagre. 6 Shift.
2 My turn. 7 Stretched.
3 The last pig in a litter. 8 Little bit.
4 Trudge. 9 Fun, sport.
5 Prospered.
28
then dwalling 1 and palavering away about
religion, as a' always dith whan a' is half ago :
"Come," zis a' to Bat, " stand vore, 2 put your
hands behind your back, and zay the chief end
o' man."
BET. A pritty time in an alehouse. Good
now, a' wager'd with Dame, that h'd teach en
" The chief end o' man" zooner than her shou'd
his catechise.
EAB. Zo a' went on : " Who made thee ? "
" God," said Bat, and nodded his head.
"What did God make thee vor?" The boy
was at a stann. 3 " Speak, mumchance. 4 what
dost stand digging the head, and shuckening, 5
as if thee was louzy : speak, mooncalf, 'Ot did
God make thee vor ? " Bat look'd up zo harm-
less, and zaid, " To carry dung to Crowbear. 6 "
Bless es, what a hallaballoo 7 was set up ; es
cried a' was right, hes Measter look'd brinded, 8
and the poor boy bost out a crying, when Hogg
zaid, "You dunderheaded stunpole, 9 you dium-
ble drone, 10 I wish I'de a good smart switch,
I'de lerrick thee till I made thee twine 11 like an
angle-twitch. 12 '
1 Talking tediously. 8 Spoken of Animals;
2 Stand forward. fierce, like a bull,
3 At a stand still. 9 A thick-headed, stupid
4 Silent person, or one fellow.
resolved not to speak. 10 Humble bee, or drone.
5 Shuffling. 11 Twist.
6 A place near Torring- 12 Blindwonns.
7 Noise. [ton.
29
BET. If a' had a' be at home a' wid a' be
wapp'd 1 and bang'd to zorue tune.
RAB. A' dardn't do it now ; a' might as
good eat es nails. Es vingers itch'd to gee 'n a
tuck, and vor what ? Wasn't a' right ? I'
zure, I've a' zeed en mornings rare 2 and eve-
lings 3 late, go to Crowbear a lade, 4 and back
lary. 5
BET. And zometimes a' rideth thicka lam-
ming, 6 galaganting 7 hoss, that's enew to julk 8
en to death.
RAB. Jist bevore candle-teening, the Pason
peep'd in upon es, to put us in meend 'twas
Zinday neart ; and Hogg began dwalling away
about the wickedness o' the times, and rind on
a long rigmarole 9 of grievances. The Pason
clapt hes hand upon hes shoulder, and zaid :
"He that mends himself mends every thing,
zo far as concerns him." Hogg pouch'd 10 out
hes mouth, look'd glum, and didn't know 'ot to
make o'te ; but keep'd spuddling 11 in the vire,
and zoon arter shabb'd 12 off.
BET. I believe a' is a ragged and roasted
amongst you well a' fine, 13 but es pay vort.
1 Slapped. 8 Shake.
2 Early. 9 Round-about story.
3 Evening. 10 Poked.
4 Laden. 11 Poking and raking.
5 Empty or unladen. 12 Sheered or stole off.
6 Large. 13 To a good purpose.
7 Large and awkward. See Glossary.
30
Outel doors a' meets wi' hes match, but indel
doors a' is like a tiling untied. I'll gee thee a
sample : a Vriday I went to winding, 1 and
took the boy wi' me, to cry turr, 2 and vease
away the pigs from nuzzling in the corn ; and
if the wind be wanted, a' can whistle charming.
It was a tingling 3 frost, quite a glidder 4 all
down along the lane. The juggy-mire 5 was
one clitch 6 o' ice ; et blunk'd, 7 and the wind
huffl'd 8 and hulder'd it in wan's face. I was in
a sad taking.; no going to the lew zide you
know ; I must vace it, though my lips and nose
was a' spray d, 9 and my arms as spraged 10 as a
longcripple. 11 Well, by the time us had ado,
the wind was ago lye, 12 and 't had a' eved, 13 zo
that I was a' stugg'd 14 in the mux. Cryle ! I
never was in zich a pickle bevore, my coats was
a dugg'd 15 up, and my shoes healed in plid. 16
When es com'd home, Measter was a ream'd
out in the zittle, 17 routing 18 bevore a great
1 Winnowing. 9 Chapped.
2 An expression used 10 Spotted.
in driving pigs. 11 Viper.
3 Sharp. 12 Gone down.
4 Water frozen on the 1 3 Thawed.
ground. 14 Stuck.
5 Bog or quagmire. 15 Draggled.
6 Mass. 16 Mire.
7 Snowed. 17 A high-backed seat com -
8 Wind not blowing mon in farm houses.
steadily. 18 Snoring.
31
rouzing 1 vire, enew to swelter 2 en : Dame zit-
ting by, upon a cricket, 3 knitting ; and zeeing
Bat a' shrumpt 4 up wi' the cold, her meaned
and nodded to en a' should come by the vire :
the little pixy went to dring 5 hiszell into the
end o' the zittle, and was a' jamm'd, a' coudn't
get back nor vore. Measter raked up 6 and
glinted 7 upon en: "Hey!" zays a,' "marry
come up, my dirty cousin, why dant'e come and
zit down in the zittle at wance, cheek by jowl,
hail fellow well met, hey ! tatterdemalion ? "
And, wi' that, a' geed en zich a wap 8 in the
niddick, that a' hit es head against the clovel, 9
and made a bump in his brow. Dame coudn't
help speaking.
RAB. I think her coudn't, zure enew. I
wish I'de a' be there.
BET. A' snubb'd up Dame, with " None of
your documentizing. 10 I was overlook'd" a'
zaid, "when I took thicka spindle. You was
virking 11 me to take en, when I meast a' had
a good stugged 12 boy, vit vor zome ort, and
this is vit vor nort." " 'Tis a poor fatherless
1 Blazing. 8 Blow.
2 Melt. 9 A large beam across
3 A three-legged stooL the chimney in
4 Shrunk. farm houses.
5 Squeeze. 10 Preaching or instruc-
6 Awoke from sleep. 1 1 Teazing. [tion.
7 Looked askance. 12 Healthy, strong.
32
and motherless cheeld," I zaid. " Who bid
you put in your oar?" a' zaid, "hold your
wab, 1 Mrs. Tittlegoose. what d'ye mean by't,
both of ye, to be always dinging 3 in my ears
about thicka chat : ye uphold en, ye do zo : the
dap I geed en widn't a' kill'd a vly ; and here's
a stirrege 3 set up for nort."
E.AB. A pize take en who zat it up ?
BET. Than a' fell a' waiving and tossing,
and turning from zide to zide, grunting and
querking 4 wi' his kibby 5 heels : a' hath always
zome glam 6 or t'other, and makes em worse by
es pomstering 7 : a' is cruel a' troubled wi'
pinswills 8 and nimpingangs. 9
EAB. A' looketh a' loaded, 10 that's a sure
thing ; hes flesh is zo flabby and wangery. 11 A'
turns off bevore Dame, zay I zaid zo.
BET. Oh that he meart ! Arter a' had a' be
dozing and zogging 12 zome time, a' called to
Daine : " Come," zaith a,' " knuckle down on
your marrow bones, and hawl off my stocking,
it's a clitch'd 13 to my heel," Dame rucked 14
1 Tongue. 7 Quackery.
2 Harping, a corruption 8 Whitlows.
of din. 9 Boils.
3 Tumultuous disorder, 10 Bloated.
commotion. 11 Soft.
4 Moaning, complaining. 12 The same as dozing.
5 Chaps on the heels, or 13 Stuck.
chilblains. 14 Squatted.
6 Sore.
33
down, and did but jist titch en, when a'
scream'd out " Gingerly, gingerly : how unvitty
and cat-handed 1 you go about it, you dough-
cake, 2 git'e gone you sontross 3 ; " and wi' that
a' strode 4 out es leg and draw'd her all along.
They come to Thatchcot.
BET. Heyday ! how is this ? No Christian
zoul at home ! Why where, in the name of
goodness, can they be go to ? I've a' trapsed
here to a vine purpose. What be you smirking
about ?
RAB. Why, dant'e know the old zouls keep
all holidays, and eat pancakes Shrove Tuesday,
bacon and beans Mace Monday, 5 and rize to zee
the zin dance Easter-day ; and always go to
Rail to spend their penny. !N ow, the wraxling
is over by this time, and they be dancing away
vor life.
BET. Well, zure, my thoughts was a wool-
gathering, 6 or I hadn't a com'd zo far. Where's
the fun ov bringing a body here vor nort ? How
cou'd ye do zo ?
RAB. Is the having your company vore and
back nort ? Why, I wid stand in the Torridge,
1 Awkward. 4 Threw.
2 Half-witted. 5 See Glossary,
3 A term of reproach. 6 Bewildered.
up to the neck in water, vor an hour, to ha' thy
company vor the next.
BET. Hey, sissa ! what rodamantade be you
telling ? Well, I caii't but zay
BAB. Come, dant'e zet up thee back 1 ; thee
'now'st I tell no fibs ; thee 'now'st how dearly I
love thee, and that I've a lack'd a long time to
tell thee zo.
BET. Blindmares 2 !
RAB. I've always a' found, that as zoon as
you halseny 3 I'm about to break my meend
whip sissa ! you be ago, and then I code bite
my tongue vor veasing you away.
BET. Than, why wol ye ? Come, let's hear
no more o'te.
RAB. There now : you'll be the death o' me,
that's a zure thing.
BET. What whimzeys you ha': why do ye
put yourzell in zich a pucker 4 ? we ha' always
a' be good friends, and prithee, Rab, let's bide
zo, and let me hear no more o'te.
RAB. (Taking her hand.) But I zay you
shall : I've a' began, and fegs I'll not let thee
go till thee hast a' heard me out.
BET. I wol, I wol ; but dont'e creem 5 my
hands zo.
RAB. I don't know what I do, or what I
zay, Oh ! Bet, thee casn't think what a way I
1 Be angry. 4 Fuss.
2 Nonsense. 5 Squeeze.
3 Guess or conjecture.
35
be in ; many, many nearts I han't a' teen'd my
eyes vor thinking o' thee. I can't live zo, 'tis
ne'er the ne'er to tell o'te. I must make an
end o'te zome way or t'other I'm bent upon't,
therevore no shilly shally ; but look there, thee
zeest the zin yender, a' most a' healed by thicka
hill : now, if thee dosn't zay thee wot ha' me
bevore a'tis quite clean and sheer a'gone out o 1
sight, zure and zure, and double /ure, I will
ne'er ax thee again, but go a solger, 1 and ne'er
zee thee more.
BET. Why thee wotten ? You only make-
wise. You want go a solger ? (She drops her
head and weeps.)
RAB. Lock, lock, my precious! what dost
cry vor ?
BET. I'm a poor moody-hearted, timersome
body, and you scare one zo. I'm in a strange
quandary 2 If I'de no choice, I cou'd ha' no
blame. If 1 zay iss I may be sorry, and if I
zay no I may be sorry too ; but zure, Rab, you,
who ne'er hurted man, woman, or cheeld in
your born days, can't use me badly.
RAB. Use thee badly ! No, Bet, as zoon
wid I claw out my own eyes : I must be mazed
indeed.
BET. Come, pray now, dant'e make a game
of a body, nor go on so vreach 3 ; but hear virst
what I ha' to zay. You must know, Rab, that
1 Soldier. 2 Difficulty. 3 Violently.
36
the leet money I had a' croop'd 1 up, I've a be
shirk d~ out o' ; but it will ne'er goodee wi' they
that did it it will dwindle away. I'll tell thee
how I was a' choused.
EAB. G-ood now, lovee, dant'e tell or think
about it; us shall faggee well a' fine 3 without
it. I can work, and I will work ; all my cark-
ing 4 and caring wol be vor thee, and vor thee I
could spend my heart's blood ; every thing
shall be as thee wot ha' et.
BET. Co, co, Eab, how you tell ! Why,
dant e think I'm sich a ninny-hammer to desire
it. If it's ordain'd I shall ha' thee, I wol try
to make thee a good wife. I dan't lack to be
cocker 'd. Hark ! dan't I hear the bell lower-
ing 5 for eight o'clock ? Tis, as I live : I shall
ha' et whan I come home.
EAB. If I let thee go now, wot meet me
here to-morrow, in the dimmet. 6
BET. No : to-morrow morning, arter milk-
ing time, I wol.
EAB. Zure ?
BET. Zure and zure : zo I wish thee a good
neart.
EAB. Good neart, my sweeting ; my dearee,
good neart.
1 Saved up. 4 Care, anxious solicitude.
2 Tricked, cheated. 5 Tolling the Curfew.
3 Do well in the end. 6 Twilight.
END OF THE SECOND PART.
DEVONSHIRE DIALECT.
PART HI.
EOBIN and BETTY.
KAB. Where hast thee a' staid this longful
time ? I thort thee wid never come. I've a' be
lolling 'pon the gate, and playing 'pon the Jews-
harp, to drill away the time.
BET. I be vexed to the heart, Eab, to have
made thee wait. Good now ! Measter hath so
many fiddle-faddles, 'tis enew to make a body
crazy : so many lets, that 'tis well I be a' come
now. 'Tis a good hour's work to zarve he and
the pigs. Than a' is always twitting a body
about wan's dress. I did but clap on a clean
towser, and a' zaid, " Thee hast a' be in haste
to go ever zo long, and it thee can stay to
prink 1 theezell out."
1 Bedeck.
EAB. Es ha' a fine day, and the zin Wast
hath a' bro't out the little creatures Look !
zee the merry dancers !
BET. What dost mean ?
EAB. Why, dostn't zee them flies how they
hays, vigger in, cross over, 1 round tag, 2 and
about they go. But what dost think of zeeing
a butterfly, by now ?
BET. Zure you didn't, did 'e ?
EAB. Is zure ; and I'll tell thee the story of
the butterfly and two little boys
BET. That liv'd in a vinegar bottle ?
EAB. No, pixy, no ; but pass'd while I was
lolling 'pon the gate. The least o' the boys
catch'd a butterfly, when the Pason come by
and geed en a penny vor't, and let en go. The
great boy cried " Half parts ; open thy hand,
Tommy ; let's zee, is it a new King George ? "
" There's no C upon en," zaid Tommy. "Come,
Tommy, let es scorce 3 : I'll gee thee this great
grammer's 4 pin, large enew to race 5 strawber-
ries 'pon ; and I ha' at home a swinging 6 great
apple, as yellow a$ gold, and so mealy, thee
mayst brit 7 en thee shall ha' the virst bite o'
en." "The virst bite o' en," quoth Tommy,
" who's a fool, then ?" " Why then," zaid the
1 Terms in dances. 4 Large.
2 Children's play, all 5 String.
standing in a ring. 6 Huge.
3 Exchange. 7 Bruise.
39
big boy, "I'll gee thee a loady-nut 1 to boot."
"No, zure," zaid Tommy, "you shan't slock 2
away my penny, I'll carry en home to mammy."
And away a' went ; the t'other yenning and
truckling stones arter en, crying, "Along, cross-
pot, 3 along ! Stand clear ! I'll be to mits way
ye, wan of these days, zee if I bant, and if I
don't bang ye well and soundly." The butter-
fly hapt to come again and pitch : the boy
catch'd en, jist as the Pason was coming back
along ; zo the brat takes es long grammer's pin,
and spitted the poor thing, and carried en,
bivering, 4 to the Pason. The Pason called en a
barbarous chat, 5 and geed en a good fump 6 in
the back, stapt 7 'pon the butterfly, and went
on. The boy stood still, digging his head :
" Woundy 8 hard,'' a' zaid, " that wan should
ha' a scute 9 vor what t'other should ha' a fump
in the back vor.''
BET. A' was sarv'd in hes kind : good enew
vor'n.
EAB. But now to what I lack to tell about,
my sweeting : shall us put in the banns next
Zinday ?
BET. I'm in a peck o' troubles about Dame.
1 Double Nut. 6 A slap.
2 Entice. 7 Stept.
3 Ill-natured brat. 8 Very.
4 Quivering. 9 Gift.
5 Child.
40
Zure, Eab, I can't think of leaving her, it
awhile. Wan that's always ailing lacketh
zome tender-hearted body about her. What
will her do whan I be ago ? Her's is a lone-
some life.
EAB. I've a huge kindness vor Dame, as
well as you ; but think 'pon poor me too
Zimmeth 1 her breaketh apace ?
BET. Lack-a-day ! zo her hath, since the
death of her leet boy. Her life was bound up
in en. 'Twas a sweef boy. Whan a' was in
arms a' was the prittiest chubby cheeld, and a'
wid crow whan a' was chirpt to, and volks wid
stop me to kiss en.
EAB. 'Cause 'twas in your arms.
BET. Is, to be zure !
EAB. Why, 'twas, now !
BET. Co ! zo they did whan a' was avoot.
Well, 'twas a zweet babe, that 'twas ; and 'twas
enew to overzet her. Whan a' was bad, a' was
zo handyfast, 2 that a' widn't suffer her out o' es
sight neart nor day ; and es constant cry was,
" Mammy, mammy, where' s mammy ? " Whan
a' zeed her wipe her eyes, a' zaid, " What doth
mammy cry vor?" How it cut me to the
heart to zee her whan a' died. " Sweet lamb,"
her zaid, " art thee dead ? Wilt thee never
open thee eyes again?" Than her drowd her-
1 It seems. 2 Holding fast.
41
sell upon her knees by the bedside, and vall'd
upon her vace, vrith her arms stretch'd out.
No belving 1 or hooting, nor did her make a
preachment to the neighbours that com'd to
zee her ; better her had I was a' gest her
would pay for keeping it to herzell. Mercy,
how her hath a' palled 2 when her hath come
athort any of es playthings. Her hath had the
grave freath'd 3 all round, and set in rosen and
sweet harbs, and every trick and turn her steal-
eth away to water 'em. I've a begg'd her, as
if it was for an omes, 4 that her widn't do it.
"Ah ! Bet," her zaid, "this, and all my other
cares, will zoon be over."
RAB. My heart is up in my mouth. How
canst thee bare to live in zo much wishness 5 ?
Dant e stay in't longer than needs must. Hast
ye zaid ort to Dame ?
BET. I aim'd to bring et out in a round
about way, but was so bewilder'd I hardly
know'd what I zaid. Her look'd up on me so
pittis : " And zo, Bet," quoth her, " you be
gwain to leave me ? I wish thee well to do,
but I'll tell thee what, a married life is a life of
trial, the best vend it so." "I trust," quoth I,
"I shall ha' one that will ne'er curb me."
"And dost think," her said, "it needeth no
1 Bellowing. 4 Alms.
2 Turned pale.. 5 Melancholy.
3 Wattled.
42
care to keep on a sewent 1 pace in the right
track, when the bridle is lereping 2 under voot?"
Just then, in come Measter, looking zo gruff.
He'd a' be eavesdropping, that's plain. "Jhan
Hogg," her zaid, " es be gwain to loss Bet."
" Zo be like," a' zaid, " much good may do
thicka that finds her. He'll ha' a bone to pick,
zay I zaid zo. Her looketh as thof butter
widn't melt in her mouth, but cheese want
choak her. A good riddance, zay I. Let her
pack fardle, 3 bag and baggage. I don't care
how zoon her was a' routed out o' my houze.
Her hath a' feather'd her nest, and burnish 'd
well a' fine since her com'd here. Now let her
marry, and live out o' care, up to the knees in
clover ; but, my life vor't, her' 11 find the odds
o'nt. Winter and wedlock tames man and
beast : get into Lob's Pound 4 : marry in haste,
and repent at leisure : begin with ' dearly
beloved,' and end with amazement."
BAB. A son of a gun !
BET. I told en, " I hoped to make no more
haste than good speed." " Hey," zays a, " how
cock-a-hoop es be. Pray, Mrs. Dapper, dant'e
reckon your chickens bevore they be hatch'd :
many things happen between the cup and the
lip, and thee may'st be left in the lurch, et, vor
1 Even, smooth. 3 Bundle.
2 Trailing. 4 A prison. See Johnson.
43
all I know, and vor all thee art so keen upon
et. What, because Rab's father hath no chick
nor cheeld but he, and hath a' croop'd up a
little money, you cast 1 to ha' what a' hath. A'
hath a' work'd hard and a' fared hard, and, my
life vor't, will look 'pon his money twice, bevore
he'll part way et in his lifetime. He's a strong,
hale, old fellow ; and I trow thicka that looks
vor dead men's shoes may go wet shod, if not
bare voot."
EAB. God be thank'd, a' is strong and hale.
Why, a mooncalf, if a' wid wish me a mischief,
it wid be that my vather meart die. Money es
may get, but not another vather.
BET. Why, good now : a' measures other
volk's corn by es own peck. I can't think
what's a' come to en ; a' is more ill-condition'd
and frumpish 2 than ever a' was huffing and
dinging all the day long.
RAB. I'll be haugd if a' dothn't bear thee
a bull's neck 3 vor what thee zaid to the old
want- catcher.
BET. I do but think how a' wid trounce me,
if a' cou'd ha' any hank 4 upon me. What'e
think a' zaid ? " That a couple o' brats, or a
broken bone, wid make es as poor as church
mees, 5 and bring es to the parish ; that it was a
1 Look forward. 4 Handle.
2 Brow beating. 5 Mice.
3 A grudge.
44
ourning shame the law should suffer such as es
to marry, and bring a charge upon the parish,
rise the poor rates, and make such as he help
to maintain 'em."
RA.B. What doth a' mean by't ? I'll make
en eat es words. He help to maintain es ? I
ha' no patience. Let me tell en, we come of a
better havage 1 than he did ; all our generations
ware good livers, and justmen-holders, 2 and
never beholding to the parish in their born
days. Troth, I don't know, but they that live
from hand to mouth, live more to their heart's
content than he doth, a lubber, that's worth
scores. Why, Bet, if es could ha' but a sheep's
head and hange, 3 es should ha' the virst cut
o'te. But how can'st take et ?
BET. I dan't meend et a pin's point : vor-
merly whan a' used to snap and sware at me, I
used to cry like any thing ; but now I told en,
flat and plain, that I didn't meend his flouts
and his jeers, and that if et wasn't vor Dame,
I'de as lieve go to-morrow as stay. " Oh ! is,
to be zure, you clitch 4 to Dame like a cuckel-
button, 5 and cruney 6 and crousley 7 way her,
with your ' is zure,' and your ' no zure,' and
1 Family, breed. 5 The burr, the flower
2 Freeholders. of the burdock.
3 The pluck, the pur- 6 Whine.
tenance. 7 To court favour, to
4 Stick. flatter.
4*
zitting her up against me ; but I'll ha' thee to
know, thou make-bate, pick-thank 1 hussy, that
a man o' eight-and-twenty pounds a-year, every
voot his own land, and that pays vor every
thing 'pon the nail, may have, any day o' the
week, a better sarvant than such a noizy,
chuckling, make-strife as thee art ; but I'll
oust thee bevore a week's to an end, or I'll zee
why zo ; and then I dare thee put thee voot
aneest my door." I told en, as to the matter o'
that a' needn't put hiszell in zich a fuss that
I neer creept between the oak and the rind, or
held with the hare and run with the hound, to
curry favour ; vor, as I zaid bevore, I'd as lieve
go as stay, if et wasn't vor poor Dame ; and
that if a' led her zich a dogged life, and didn't
turn over a new leaf, a' wid be zorry vor et
whan et was too late.
EAB. 'Ot did a' zay to that ?
BET. Oh, a call'd me all that was to be
call'd, but it went into one ear and out o'
t'other.
KAB. A purse-proud fellow : I can tell en
you was so well a' bore, and better a' reared
than he was ; and had your vather and mother
a' lived, hadn't a' come to be his drudge, to be
hounded 2 and scan'd 3 like a dog, and live like
a toad under a harrow. Why dost bare et ?
1 Tale-bearer or flat- 2 To hunt, to pursue,
terer. 3 Scolded.
46
BET. Why, I thort to myzell, as a' was my
Measter, I'de try to weather it out. "Tis but a
little while, and when I'm ago I shall ne'er
hanker to zit my voot over the drekstool o' his
door again, I'll warnes ] ; if et wasn't vor Dame
I never wid, but vor her I could lie down my
life.
EAB. But now, my deary, suppose thee lived
near her, and could zee her every day : wan't
that do ? Hast ort else to vorbid the banns ?
BET. Why, to be zure, wan shou'd stay till
wan had a' got the whereway, and not go into
a houze with vour bare walls. ' Whan Poverty
comes in to the doors,' they zay, 'Love fleeth
out o' the winder.'
BAB. I'll tell thee, my precious, what I ha.'
My gonmer left me a pritty plat o' taty 2 ground,
and household goods enow, if they hadn't a' be
condidled 3 away, many that I ne'er saw, vel
nor mark o' ; they ha' left me a special good
oaken zittle
BET. The back o' a zittle is a choice thing
to steel 4 clothes 'pon.
RAB. Let's zee : than I've a' got an iron
porrige crock, a griddle, 5 a pair o' brandis, 6 a
vire pan, a vender, a latin cup, zome doming 7
1 Warrant. 5 Gridiron.
2 Potatoe. 6 Three-cornered iron,
3 Pilfered, taken slily to rest the kettle
away. over the fire.
4 Iron. 7 Earthenware.
47
porrige dishes, a gulamouth, 1 zome timber
dishes, 2 a verkin, a trindle, 3 and zome very
good knives, not a lipshod 4 in 'em. I've a good
doust 5 bed-tye, 6 and a tester-bed, peel 7 and
peel-bears, 8 a pair of canvas sheets bran 9 new,
and a pair a leet seary, 10 and a banging brass
kittle, that es may swap 11 for what goods es
may lack.
BET. My modicum is but forty shillings,
coming to me vor wages, two silver 'postle 12
spoons, my mother's amber necklace, and toad-
stone 13 ring. What clothing I ha,' es coine
honestly by, I han't a screed 14 to my back that
isn't paid vor. I ne'er go to tick, 15 and 'ot I
ha' will sarve for years, way a leet patching.
Then, aunt Madge hath a' promis'd me a butt 16
o' bees, whan I married, vor house-warming.
EAB. Well, my chickabiddy, that's zome-
thing. Many a little makes a mickle.
1 Pitcher. 11 Exchange.
2 Trenchers. 12 Spoons, the handles
3 A large tub to salt bearing the figure
meat in. of an apostle.
4 Chip. See Glossary.
5 Chaff. 13 A concretion, said to
6 Bedtick. be found in the
7 Pillows. head of a toad.
8 Pillow-cases. 14 Scrip.
9 Quite. 15 In debt.
10 Thin or worn. 16 Hive.
48
BET. And ef es cou'd but hold to keep a
cow, that wid be zomething !
EAB. Vather zaith es tet ha' 1 a cow o' he,
and a main good one 'tis.
BET. When tet ha' en 2 ?
EAB. Es tet ha en 3 whan es marry.
BET. Oh, tetta 4 ! Well than, we'll zee to
raise the wind to buy a pig, if I score my
'postle spoons. Than the milk I can't zell, and
the waste taties, and a leet draft and gruel, will
be choice to pop en away 5 and make en plim. 6
EAB. Aye, I'll leave thee to meend the
mean chance.
BET. I shall try to keep the cart upon the
wheels, and ha' an egg in the nist.
EAB. And now, my sweeting, I can tell thee
of a houze ready cut and dried.
BET. What, Eidgeway's ?
EAB. No, no : another lucker houze than
that, where thee mayst yenn a stone to Dame's,
and may'st zee her every day. What d'ye zay
to G-onmer Munford's ? Thicka houze is to
be let.
BET. Oh, dear ! what d'ye tell o' ! Zure
enow ? Well, that will be special. "Tis but a
stap, as a body may zay, to Dame's.
1 We shall. 4 Shall we ?
2 Shall we have ? 5 Feed it quickly.
3 We shall have. 6 Fat.
49
RAB. Come, we'll go and zee what plight
the houze and garden be in.
BET. Not now : to-morrow I shall ha' more
time. Dear me, how I'me rejoic'd to think es
may ha' thicka houze. I know every crick and
cornder of et, by tale and by token. I shan't
sleep to neart vor thinking o't. The prittest
houze in the parish, vor the bigness o'en ; but I
can't stay longer to tell about en. Good bye.
RAB. Bye, bye, my sweeting.
END OF THE THIRD PART.
B
DEVONSHIRE DIALECT.
PART IV.
BOBIN and BETTY.
BAB. Here I be, looking hard vor thee ; gee
me thee hand.
BET. I think I shu'd know the way if I was
a' mop't. 1
BAB. Aye, Bet, es have a' gon et many a
time together ; dont'e meend when you and I
went to schule to the old 'oman ? I'm zure I
do ; and I zeem'd thee was the prittest maid in
the schule. Ha' you forgot how I used to call
upon thee in a morning, thoffc 'twas out o' my
way, and hand in hand es two leet things dug-
gl'd 2 away wi' our dinner baskets ; and every
1 Blind-folded. 2 Trudged.
51
ripe blackberry or nut I zeed in the hedge, I
scrambl'd arter vor thee ?
BET. Aye, I do : and do you meend the
lamb's dallybones l you geed me ? I ha' them
now this present time.
BAB. And I, Bet, the little ha'penny box
you geed me ! Look, zee, there 'tis. I always
carry en about me.
BET. Do you meend how glad es used to be
if es cou'd pick up a sang 2 o' corn for Gonnier's
hen?
BAB. 'Twas a good zoul. I lov'd her dearly.
I ne'er pass her grave without halting. If I'de
a cheeld, I shou'd wish et to love me as I lov'd
her. I often think of the stories her used to
tell ; and of a zinshiny day her wid let us go
out under the great tree, and her zit in the
shade in the midst o' es. As zoon as es had
the word, es tack'd 3 our hands, all up in arms,
away to go ruging out the forms, 4 the toits, 5
and crickets, and half a score tugging along
her two-bow' d chair, 6 and plimming 7 up the
cushion. Than, whan her begun the story of
"Whittington and his Cat," or "Little Bed
Biding Hood," or the "Children in the Wood,"
es was all a' gape. None squeak' d or budg'd.
1 Trotter bones. 4 Long seats.
2 A handful of ears 5 Hassocks.
of corn. 6 Arm chair.
3 Clapped. 7 Making soft and smooth.
If you meend, all the good boys and girls come
to good vortin at last, except poor Eed Riding
Hood, and the Children in the Wood. Ever
zince, zimmeth, I've a kindness for poor robins.
Her heard me ziffing, whan her was telling the
story, and call'd me to her, took my vace
between her hands, kiss'd my brow, and zaid I
was her brave boy.
BET. What a pritty story her made of
Joseph and hes Brothers : I coudn't help crying
at et.
EAB. Aye, Bet, they be days I shall never
forget. How happy was es, when es cou'd rise
a ha'penny, to drink sugar and water at the
shet 1 o' holidays.
BET. Aye, zure : and her, leaning over the
hatch, look'd delighted to zee es, and wid
always dole 2 out zomething a tetty 8 o' rosen,
or ripe deberries, 4 christlings, 5 or mazzards, or
crumplings. 6 But zee what a wilderness her
pritty garden 's a' come to ! I mit her, full
butt, 7 wan day, wi' a greep 8 o' white lilies,
holding 'em out to arm's length : her zaid,
" Solomon, in all his glory, was not array'd
like one of these." Her had a power o' flowers,
but I dan't zee head nor hair o' any now.
1 Kunning water. 5 A small sort of plum.
2 Give. 6 Stunted apples.
3 Nosegay. 7 Suddenly.
4 Gooseberries. 8 Bunch.
53
BAB. Her used to tell 1 to her flowers.
BET. The last time her was in her garden
I hapt to come to zee her, vor Dame was always
ready to let me ; and a great loss Dame had
when her died. Her was her bosom friend.
But, as I was telling, I meet her here, and was
struck all o' a heap 2 to zee her look zo pinikin
and thirl, and her clothes hanging zo slaggit 3
about her. " Now Gonmer," I zaid, " you ha'
been weeding and mouling 4 in the earth : it
isn't good vor 'e ; you don't look special ; it
isn't the thing ; you shudn't mele way et." " If
I am bereav'd o' my garden," quoth her, " I'm
bereav'd o' the comfort o' my life. This is a
delightful day : come, Bet, you shall go to my
bank, under the honeysuckle, and zee my
robin." Her took some gerts 5 out o' a little
box, and the robin com'd and eat 'em out o' her
hand. Her squat down upon the bank, and
her put back her head, and made fast her eyes.
" How delightsome," her zaid, " is the soft wind
that blows 'pon my vace through the honey-
Buckle ; and the zinging o' the bards, how glad-
some ; the buzzing o' the vlies, and the hum-
ming o' the bees. Every thing seems alive. I
think I coudn't kill a spider if a' was to come
in my way."
1 Talk. 4 Digging.
2 With surprise. 5 Groats.
3 Loose.
54
BAB. Poor old zoul : I meend when it went
against her to kill a muskel 1 or an oakweb. 2
"I can't afford," her zaid, "you should eat
what I've a' took pains to rear ;" and zo her
yenn'd 'em over the hedge upon the common.
BET. The cat was a' com' d out arter her,
purring and wiping hersell, to and vro, in her
apern. Her smooth'd her down, and zaid,
" Poor Tib, who will take care o' thee when I
be ago ? Thee hast ado all thy good deeds,
and can't now shurt vor theezell. Will you,
Bet, take care of old Tib ?" " Is, that I wol,"
said I ; and zo I have, and I gee a ha'penny a
week, to this time, vor keeping her. "Well
then," her zaid, " that's a' car'd vor. How
glad I shu'd be if I cou'd leave thee my houze
and garden : but, as that can't be, vor what I
ha' dies wi' me, I can't help wishing zome tidy
vitty body may live in en, that it meart'ent go
to ruin. But why vor ? I shan't know nort
o'te."
BAB. Her made another gess place than her
found ; and made the most of every crick and
cornder.
BET. Zo her zaid ; and the flower mores
that creas'd 3 too much, her zet in the field, and
prick'd out the toppings of rosen and jasmine
in the hedges.
1 Caterpillar. See 2 Cockchafer.
Glossary. 3 Increased.
55
RAB. Her garden vound her in tea and
physick, and her bees honey enew and to spare.
Any body wanting honey, or stock-harbs, or
peppermint- water, go to Gonmer Munford, you
were sure to have et the virst words, as thof
you did her a vavour in axing vor't.
BET. " Do but zee, Bet," her zaid, " what a
garden I've a' made." "I hope," zaid I,
" you'll ha' many years to come in't." " Oh !
no, no Bet, I'm past the age of man ; I've zeed
the parish go bevore me ; my time must come
at last, and it wan't be long virst ; 'tis a debt
can't be put off : I vend I break apace." And
zo I zeem'd, but didn't tell her zo ; but zaid,
" You ha' that comfort, you ha' liv'd a good
life ; you've ado your best." " I can't boast,"
her zaid," who can zay 'I've ado. my best?'
I've great hopes in my Saviour, and I'm not
afeard to die." Her look'd very pinikin and
hollow-eyed, and her nose was a' sharpen' d up.
" Come, good now, G-cnmer, do ye go in : I be
cruel zorry to zee 'e in such a way." I had
much ado to heave her up. Her had no stroil
to help herzell. Her legs crickl'd 1 under her,
and her was panking and weezing for breath.
I didn't leave her till I'de a' got zomebody to
be wi' her ; but, good now, her didn't want
attendance, it was who shu'd do most vor her.
1 Gave way.
56
BAB. Hadn't her no relations ?
BET. Is, is : her had cousins, well to pass,
up the country ; but they ne'er troubled their
meend to 'quire arter her. You've heard, no
doubt, that her father was pason of this parish.
He was an over good man, and liv'd to a great
age.
RAB. Her must a' be call'd an old 'oman
when he died : and where could her go better ?
Her lov'd the parish, and the parish lov'd her.
BET. Lov'd her ? That they did. There
wasn't a dry eye at her berrying. Zo, as I was
zaying, I left her and went home ; and thicka
neart I'de a voretoken 1 o' her death. My noze
bost out a' bleeding without being het, 2 and I
heard the death-watch. I got up at peep o' day,
and vound her weezing vor life. " Oh ! G-on-
mer," I zaid, " I be cruel zorry to zee ye zo
bad." Her creem'd my hand. " I believe, you,
Bet, it's a time I've long expected." Her than
told me to teel 3 yender her bible; and when
her had deliver'd en to me : " This," quoth her,
" is the most precious thing I own ; take en as
my legacy. In it you'll vind the title-deed to
a glorious estate, and how to make the estate
your own." The neighbours whisper' d, " Poor
zoul, her's out o' her parts 4 : her's telling
1 Warning. 3 Give.
2 Struck. 4 Senses.
57
dwale. 1 I staid wi' her till milking time, and
then I begg'd Dame to let me stay up wi' her
thicka neart. That was her last : her was rest-
less, moaning and telling to herzell. I ax'd
her if I could do ort vor her ? Her look'd upon
me, and zaid her wid be patient, " My Saviour
and Maker zees me ; a step or two more and I
shall be home." Then her turned, and snugg'd
up her head in the piller : es zeem'd her was
roating and zoggin, when, dear heart, her'd a'
got the rattle. 2
EAB. Come, dant'e zay no more about et,
without thee casen't help crying zo. Think
upon what's to come, and that thee mert be
owner of the houze, the garden, the cat, and
the great tree, which es hopes wan't be cut
down in our time.
BET. I hope zo, too ; vor I shu'd like to
bring out my knitting work, or my spinning-
turn, 3 and zit there, and then I mert happen to
zee thee when you be to work. Dear heart !
what strange things come to pass. When I
used to think how happy any body mert live in
such a sweet place, I could ne'er ha' thort it
wid come to my take, every thing zo handy : a
pritty doming 4 oven, big enew to bake a batch
o' brfead ; water at the shet jest by ; the thorn
1 Incoherently. 3 Wheel.
2 Noise in the throat that 4 Earthenware.
precedes death.
58
hedge and garden, and the great tree. Poor
zoul, her used to zit there, summer yevlings, to
zee the volks come fro' market, and take in her
arrants, 1 her had a' zent by 'em. Whan I used
to rede a story-book of a pritty place, I thort it
must be like this.
BAB. A pritty place it was. I believe there
wasn't a Christian zoul went up and down the
lane but stopt to look at et, and the garden
and her winder deck'd out wi' pots o' rosen. * I
dare zay, Bet, you'll keep et as much in
Pimlico 3 as her did.
BET I can't zay as to the matter o' that ;
but every thing shall be wholesome and clean.
Good, now ! What does et go to a year ?
EAB. I've a proffer'd 3 vive-and twenty shil-
lings, and they stand vor thirty, and zay they
wan't vang 4 less. I'm a guess they wan't let et
under ; but, hang et, I wan't stand haggling
and chaffering about et, but take et forthwith,
and go about zitting in zome cole-plants and
pot-harbs. There is two special stubberd 5 trees,
vor making squab pies 6 and lamb's wool. 7
Why, Bet, us shall ha' every thing rise on the
zame ; and how comfortable 'twill be, arter es
ha' been digging and delving all day, to be wel-
1 Errands. 5 An apple so called.
2 See Glossary. 6 See Glossary.
3 Offered. 7 A drink made of ale
4 Take. and roasted apples.
59
com'd home by thy sweet vace, to a chimbly
cornder o' my own, and a houze as clean as a
pick ? A hulch 1 o' dry bread with my dear Bet
will be as good as roast meat.
BET. Dry bread ! Es hope es shan't be zo
hard a drove as that comes to. No, no : I'll
shurt vor zomething better vor thy supper, if I
make but a scrimp dinner ; and now and then
es will ha' a viggy pudding on a Zinday.
EAB. My deary, take care I don't eat thee.
BET. Come, now, none of your high-ropes
and rodomantades. Love me little and love me
long, I zay.
EAB. Bodikins ! Bet, I ween thee dostn't
love me as I love thee.
BET. I'll tell thee what, Bab, vor more than
this half year there hasn't a day gone over my
head, that I havn't wish'd or avear'd to zee
thee. I don't know how et was, zimeth I'de
always a tremor or a clay 2 upon me ; but now,
vail back vail edge, 3 I'm fix'd, and I'm quite
another thing.
EAB. And I'm ready to flee over the moon :
and now I'll tell thee, I've a ventur'd within
an inch of my life, that thee mert take notice
o' me.
BET. Dear me, how than ?
EAB. I can tell thee, by tale and by token :
1 Slice. 2 Shiver. 3 Come what will.
60
by riding thickee fractious horse, and taking
thicka roguish bull by the horns, at the bull-
baiting, when everybody was afear'd to go
neest en.
BET. You make my blood rin cold ; I'm
glad I wasn't there.
BAB. I thort thee was, tho' I coudn't zee
thee. Than, whan the Torridge was a' vroze
over, and thee was milking t'other zide, I
vetch'd a vedge, forzooth, and away I zlide, and
stram-bang down I come with a rouze. 1 The
ice geed way with a crack, and flump 2 zous'd I
into the water.
BET. I'm glad I didn't zee thee ; zo thee
was finely douc'd. 3 How cou'd 'e be zo ventur-
some?
EAB. I only jarr'd my elbow, and scour'd*
away home like a tail-pip'd dog. Well now,
thanks be, these vagaries be over : and happy
is the wooing that isn't long a doing. What
doth zay, Bet, I must put in the banns next
Zinday, shall 1 ?
BET. If it must, it must ; but why zo hurri-
some ?
EAB. How shall I know if I be awake ?
BET. Come, gee me my bucket. I've had a
good spell. I wish thee a good neart ; I wish
1 Force. 3 Wetted.
2 To fall suddenly. 4 Ran away.
61
thee well home. Prithee take care o' thyzell,
and dont'e stay out late ; pray now dont'e.
RAB. 'Ot dost mean 'ot is it ?
BET. I don't know how to tell thee. I han't
a' be myzell since I've a inkling a" geed me,
that Measter was gwain to get thee prest.
RAB. Is that all? Thy measter may go
whistle. A' shews his teeth, but a' can't bite
Curst cows ha' short horns. A' had as good
eat his nails, as think to meel wi' me. I know
a' can't abide me, and there's no love lost. Es
havn't a' be cater cousins 1 since last hay-
harvest.
BET. How zo, than ? But, dear heart, I
can't stay to hear. I shall be scour' d 2 whan I
come home, vor staying zo long.
RAB. As good be hang'd vor an old sheep
as vor a lamb. I'll tell thee how 'twas. Last
hay-harvest, ,at drinking time, we was all zit-
ting upon the hay-pokes, zinging the " Leather
Bottle," when who shu'd pass by but an old fish
jouder, 3 with a jackass and panniers. Hogg
bawl'd out, " 'Ot fish hath her got do ye know
ca.n ye tell will ye ax ? Rin zomebody,
quick!" Away fagged I: "Here, you: you
must come back ; thickee man," pointing to
Hogg, " lacketh zome vish ; but he's very
deeve, 4 and if you don't bawl en his ear, a*
1 Good friends. 3 Fish huckster,
2 Scolded. 4 Deaf.
62
can't hear what you zay." Back I rind to
Hogg: "Her is as deeve as a haddock. Do
try to make her hear, vor I can't." Away zat
he to meet her : and the old trapes took her
pipe out o' her mouth, nusled close up to his
ear, and scream'd wi' all her might, and zo
he to her ; zo it made 'em both jump.
BET. It must a' be rare fan.
RAB. " Wounds," cried Hogg, " the old toad
hath crack'd the drum o' my ear rat her ! "
"A toad?" a' yerr'd to en : "I zay toad,
indeed ! Not zo much like one as thee art ! "
" Get along," zays Hogg, " or I'll gee thee a
dowse 1 in the chops." Her snatch'd the ass's
halter, and away her went, maundering, calling
es a pack o' low-lived lubbers, vor making game
o' her ; vor es all laff'd till es blak'd. 2
BET. No marvel, now, he shu'd owe thee a
grudge. No, no : he wan't vorget et vor one
while, take my word vor't.
RAB. He may turn his buckle behind hia
back, vor Rab.
BET. I'm upon thorns ; once more good
neart.
RAB. Good neart, my sweeting, good neart !
1 Slap in the face. 2 Cried with laughter.
THE END.
GLOSSARY.
A.
Abew. Above
? Akether. Forsooth
V Aneest. Nigh
9*J~ ._ Angle-twitcli, Blind- worm
"*. . Antick. Wild gesticulation
Aperns. Aprons
Arrants. Errands
Ax. Ask
Backsevore. The hind part
before
Bam by. By and by
Banged. Beat soundly
Bard. Bird
Basam. The red heath
broom
Bed-tye. Bed-tick
Begayqed. Bewitched
Belving. Bellowing
Ben. Truth of it
Beverage. A forfeit upon
wearing a suit of new
clothes
Severing. Quivering
Blaked. Cried with laugh-
ter
Blasting up his ees. Lifting
up his eyes
Blind mares. Nonsense
Elooth. Blossom
Blue. Bloom
Blunk. Spark
Bliinked. Snowed
Bosky. Tipsy
Bost. Burst
Bot. Bought
1'owerly. Handsome; of a
certain size. Buirdly
Scottish, for stoutly built.
Braggadocia. Braggart
64
C
Bran. Quite
Brandis. A three-cornered
iron, to rest the kettle
over the fire
Brinded. Spoken of ani-
mals ; fierce, like a bull
Brist. Small dust, prickles
of furze, granulated earth
Brit. Bruise
Buddled. Suffocated
Buldering. Sultry
Bull's neck. A grudge
Bush. Toss
Butt. Hive
Biitt. Suddenly
C.
Candle teening. Candle light
Carking. Care, anxious so-
licitude
Cast. Looked forward
Cat-handed. Awkward
Cauch. Mess, a nasty mix-
ture
Chary. Careful
Chat. Child
Cherry. Ruddy
Chewers. Jobs
Chilbladders. Chilblains
Christliny. A small sort of
plum
Cloggy. Glutinous, sticky
Clapper-clawed. Tongue-
beat, scolded
Clay. Shiver
Clit. Heavy
Glitch. Mass ; stuck
Earthenware
Clovel. A large beam across
the chimney in farm
houses
Clum. Paw or handle
Co, fig's end. Poh ! non-
sense
Cob wall. Mud wall
Cockle. Wrinkle
Colting. Frolicking
Condidled. Pilfered, slily
taken away
Conkable. Icicle
Creased. Increased
Creem. Squeeze
Cricket. A three-legged
stool
Crickled. Gave way
Crisimore. Little child
Crock. Pot
Crooped. Saved
Grope. Creep
Cross-over. Term in dances
Cross -pot. Hl-natured brat
Crousley. To court favour,
to natter
Crowbear. A place near
Torrington
Crowder. Fiddler
Crowdling sokey. Timid
creature
Grub. Crust
Cruel. Sad
Grume. A little bit crumb
Crumplings. Stunted apples
65
Cruney. Whine
a
Cryle. An exclamation
Crymanias. Gracious
Cuckle-button. The burr,
. the flower of the burdock
Curmugeon. Covetous fel-
low
D
Daily-bones. Trotter bones
Daps. Likeness
Dashed. Daunted
Ddvered. Withered
Deberries. Gooseberries
Dem. Hussy
Dickins. An exclamation
Dimmet. Twilight
Dinging. Harping ; a cor-
ruption of din
Documentizing . Preaching
or instruction
Dole. Give
Dorns. Door-posts
Dough-cake. Half-witted
Doust. Chaff
Douted. Extinguished
Drekstool. Threshold
Dribbling rain. Small rain
Drilling. Dawdling
Dring. Squeeze
Drumble drone. Humble
bee, or drone
Dugged. Draggled
Duggle. Trudge
Dump. A heavy sound
Dwale. Incoherently
Dwalling. Talking tediously
E.
Estetha'en. We shall have
Eved. Thawed
EveUngs. Evenings
F.
Faggee well a fine. Do well
in the end
Fardle. Bundle
Flimzy. Thin, mean
Flashed. Spilt
Flush. Feathered
Fob. Froth
Forms. Long seats
Foust. Tumbled or soiled
Fraped. Drawn tight
Freathed. Wattled
frumpish. Brow beating
Fulch. Beat or push
Fump. A slap
G.
Galaganting. Large and
awkward. Query, if from
Garagantua, in Kabelais ?
Gall. Vex
Galled. Frightened 2 A '^
Gammet. Fun, sport
Gapenests. Sights
Gee. Give
Gerts. Groats
Gess. Sort
Gingerly. Softly .
66
Glam. Sore
Glidder. Water frozen on
the ground
GUnted. Looked askance
Glittish. Cruel, savage
Glumping. Sullen
Glut. Had more than
enough ; satiated.
Gooded. Prospered
Goodger. The devil
Gook. Hang down
Gonmer. Grandfather and
grandmother ; but used
also for any aged persons
Gorbelly. Big-bellied
Go'th. Goes
Grabbled. Grapplod- *
Grainee. Proud, ill-tem-
pered
Grammer's pin. Large pin
Greep. Bunch.
Griddle. Gridiron
Grizzled. Langhed
Grute. The earth from a
mud wall. Grate, from
the French crotte
Gubby A posse, number
Gubs. Go between
Gulamouth. Pitcher
Gulging. Drinking
Gulk. Swallow
Gushed. Scared
Giuain. Going
H.
Hagaging. Passionate
Haggy. Argue
Hallaballoo. Noise, uproar
Halseny. Guess or conjec-
ture
Handyfast. Holding fast
Hank. Handle
Hatch. Half-door of a cot-
tage.
Hatchet face. Ugly face,
such as might be hewn
out of a block by a hatch-
et. Johnson
Havage. Family, breed
Hauch-a-mouth. To speak
with a broad accent is, in
Devonshire, called hauch-
ing
Head and henge. The pluck,
the purtenance
Healed. Covered y
Het. Struck
High-de-lows. Feastings
and merry-makings
High to instep. Carried
herself haughtily
Hoa. End, stop
Hoss. Horse
Hounded. Hunted, scolded
Hove. Lifted
Huffled. Wind not blowing
steadily
Hugeous heave up. A great
piece of good fortune
Hugger mugger. Clandes-
tine
Hulch. Slice
Huldered. The wind blow-
ing with violence and im-
petuosity, like thunder
67
Hunks. Miser
Huxens. Hocks, ankles
I.
Indel and oudel. In-doors
and out-doors
Inkling. Hint or informa-
tion
J -
Jay He. An exclamation
Jet. Push
Jolter head. Blockhead
Jouds. Rags
Jouring. Scolding
Juggling. Shaking
Juggy iwvre. Bog or quag-
mire
Julk. Shake
Junketing. Private enter-
tainments
Justmen-holders. Free-
holders
K.
Keemy. Having a white
creamy substance on it.
Kerpt. Kept under
Kibby. Chaps on the heels,
or chilblains
Kicketh. Stammers
L.
Lacked. Looked for
Lacky. Stay
Lade. Laden
Laffed. Laughed
Lamb's wool. Drink made
of ale and roasted apples
Lamming. Great
Lamst. Lamed
Lory. Empty or unladen
Lattin cup. Tin cup
Leach. Common way
Leet rather. A little while
ago
Leet windle. A little Bed-
wing, called in Switzer-
land, Wintzel. Lyte is
used by Chaucer for little
Lereping. Trailing
Lerrick. Chastise
Lief. As soon
Linney. A shed attached
to another building
Lip-shord (Lip-shodJ. Chip
Loaded. Bloated
Loady. High-dressed
Loady nut. Double nut
Lob's pound. A prison.
See Johnson
Longcripple. Viper
Lowering. Tolling ; the
Curfew
Lowster. Bustle about
Lucker. Sort or like
Lye. Gone down
M.
Mace-Monday. "The first
Monday after St. Anne's
(July 26th) a feast is held
at Newberry, in Berk-
shire, the principal dishes
being bacon and beans.
In the course of the day
a procession takes place ;
68
a cabbage is stuck on a
pole, and carried instead
of a mace, accompanied
by similar substitutes for
other emblems of civic
dignity." Hence comes
Mace-Monday.
Every-Day Book.
Make-Bates. Mischief mak-
ers
Make wise. Make believe
Malkin. Wench ; a dirty
woman
Maundering. Grumbling
Meel. Meddle
Meend. Mind, remember
Mees. Mice
Mert, Heart, Meast. Might
Michard. Micher ; a lazy
loiterer
Mickled. Choked
Mift. Offended
Mislee. To rain in small
drops, like mist
Mistree. Dim-sighted
Mits. Even
Mopt. Blindfold
Mores. Roots
Mart. Lard
Mose. Moss
MouUng. Digging
Mumchance. A silent per-
son, or one resolved not
to speak
i)_ Muskel. Caterpillar. MasJt
is Swedish for this insect
It is remarkable thai
Linnaeus calls caterpillars
larvae, that is mask
N.
Nearts. Nights
Neest. Near
Nestle draft. The last pig
in the litter
Nick'd en. Caught him at
a lucky moment
Niddick. Back of the neck
Nitnpingangs. Boils
Nort. Nothing
Nort mert. Nothing might
Nug. A bunch
0.
Oakweb. CockchafFer
Odswinderakins. An excla-
mation
Omes. Alms
Organ. Pennyroyal
Orts. Fragments, refuse
P.
Palled. Turned pale
Panking. Panting
Parts. Senses
Peart. Lively
Peel. Pillow
Peel-lears. Pillow-cases
Pick-thank. Tale-bearer or
flatterer
Piepicked. Of different
colours, as pie-bald
Pig's loose. Pig's stye
Pilin. Dust
69
Pimlico. " An expression
supposed to be confined
to Devonshire. Why the
place in London is called
Pimlico, I have never
heard, nor can guess why
the word was used to
mean what it does. There
is something quaint and
mincing in the sound, to
which perhaps it owes its
use." Rev. J. Phillipps.
Pindy. Mouldy
Finikin. Delicate
Pinsunlls. Whitlows
Pirled. Flat
Pittis. Sorrowful
Pixy. Fairy
Plancking. Floor
Plashet. Quagmire
Plid. Mire
Ptimed. Swelled
Plum. Light
Plumming. Making soft
and smooth
Poaching. Swampy
Poke. Gore ; to pierce with
a horn
Pomstering. Quackery
Pop en away. Feed it
quickly
'Postle spoons. Called Apos-
tle spoons, because the
figures of the Twelve
Apostles were chased or
carved on the handles.
Poughed. Poked
. Power, A great number
PKro. Fat ftlltl.u
Prilled, or a-prilled. Spo-
ken of beer, means some-
what sour ; of a person,
signifies a little offended
or displeased
Prink. Bedeck
Proffered. Offered
Pug gin end. Gable end
Purt. Offended
Purting glumpot. A sulky
person
Pucker. Fuss
Q.
Quailing. Fainting; being
depressed
Quandary. Difficulty
Quarrils. Panes
Quelstering. Hot
Querking. Moaning, com-
plaining
R.
Rabbit. An oath
Rabscallion. A term of re-
proach
Race. String
Ragamuffin. A term of re-
proach
Ragg'd. Chided, scolded
Railed. Talked over
Raked. Rose up in a hurry
Raked up. Awoke from
sleep
Ranish. Ravenous
Ranticomscour. Uproar
Rare. Early
70
Rattles. Noise in the throat
that precedes death
Reamed. Stretched
-*)xr<.i_ Reeping. Trailing on the
ground
Rid/mas. Holy - cross, or
Boodmas-day, 14th Sep-
tember. Rood means cross.
" This festival had its be-
ginning about the year
615. On this occasion,
Cosroes, king of Persia,
had made great ravages
in the Christian world, by
the success of his arms ;
and having plundered Je-
rusalem, took away a
great piece of the cross,
which Helena had left
there ; and at times of
his mirth made sport of
that and the Holy Trinity.
Heracleus, the Emperor,
giving him battle, defeat-
ed the enemy, and reco-
"* vered the cross, bringing
it back triumphantly to
Jerusalem, when he found
the gates shut against
him, and heard a voice
from heaven, which told
him that the King of
kings did not enter that
city in so stately a man-
ner, but meek and lowly,
riding upon an ass : with
that the Emperor dis-
mounted, and went into
the city not only on foot,
but barefooted, carrying
in the wood of the cross
himself. This honor done
to the cross gave rise to
the festival." Nicholson
on the Common Prayer.
Rind; Ban.
Rigmerole. Bound about
story.
Rory tory. Tawdry
Rochets. Little blue cloth
cloaks. " The rochet was
an antient garment, used
by bishops. In the bar-
barous Latinity it was
called rochet, being deri-
ved from the German
word ruck, which signi-
fies the back, as being a
covering for that part of
the body." Nicholson on
the Common Prayer.
Round tag. Children's play,
all standing in a ring
Rouse. With a great noise
Routing. Snoring
Rouzing. Blazing
Rucked. Squatted
Ruged. Put away hastily
S.
Sang. Handful of ears of
corn
Sort and fair totle. Soft
and fair fool
SCO.77. Scoff
Scaned. Scolded
Scarce. Exchange
Scovy. Thin, uneven
Screed. Scrip
Scrimp. Short
Scud. Shower
Scute. A gift
Seary. Thin or worn
Set up thee back. Be angry
71
Shabbed. Sheered or stole
off
Shet. Running water
Shewl - a - mouth. Shovel
month
Shirked. Tricked, cheated
Shod. Spilt
Shords. Sherds
Shows. Prints or pictures
Shrumping. Shrugging
Shrumpt. Shrunk
Shuckening. Shuffling
Shug. Sly, angry
Shurt. Shift
Sift. Sighed
Simathin. Liking, partiality
Sissarary. Certiorari
Skimish. Squeamish
Skulking. To lurk in fear
Slaggit. Loose
Slammed. Shut with vio-
lence
Slat and scat. To throw
things about in an ill tem-
per, with violence. It
means, also, to split and
to give a slap : as to give
.' a slat in the chaks,' is to
give a smart blow in the
face with the hand.
" When Haldon has a slat,
Ken ton beware of a scat."
Haldon is a hill near Exe-
ter, and Kenton a place
not far from it. The pro-
verb means, that when
the hill has its head en-
veloped in the clouds, the
neighbourhood may soon
expect a shower
Slewed away. Gave way
Slinking. Stealing ; creep
slily
Sliver. Slice
Slock. To entice
Slottering. Dirty, wet
Smeeching. Making an of-
fensive smell in the fire
Sneving. Sneaking
Solvege. Term of reproach
Sontross. Term of reproach
Sparables. Nails
Spick and span new. Quite
new ; first worn
Spraged. Spotted
Sprayed. Chapped
Spuddling. Poking and
raking
Squab pie. Made of apples,
onions, mutton, pepper,
salt, and sugar. Receipt
how to make it :
" Pliillis ! lovely charmer, say
Would'st them know th' unerring
way,
And with heart unfailing wish
Made by thee the Coruish dish ?
First, from bounteous Ceres' store,
Walls erect of wheaten flour,
Walls, of which the ample round
Holds within a gulf profound ;
Then, in parts minutely nice,
Soft and fragrant apples slice;
With its dainty flesh, the sheep,
Next must swell the luscious heap ;
Then the onion's sav'ry juice
Sprinkle, not with hand profuse,
Merely what may sting the eye,
Not make charming Pliillis cry.
These ingredients well disposed,
And the summit fairly closed,
Lives the epicure, whose heart
Will not feel of love the smart ?
If not for Pliillis' self, at least,
For Phillis' pie, and Phillig' paste !"
Daiiet Gilbert, Esq.
72
Squat. Squeezed
Squeaked,. Spoke
Squinches. Chinks
Stagged, Stugg'd. Stuck
Stand a -war. Out of the
way
Stann. Stand still
Stapt. Stepped
Stat. Stopped
Steel. To iron
Steeming. Turn
Stewer. Dust
Stewardly. Managing
Stirridge. Commotion
Stived. Starved ; shivering
Slivering. Standing
Strambang. Fling violently
Stramming. Great
Stratted. Splashed
Strode. Threw
Stroil. Strength
Struck all of a heap. With
surprise
Stub, Portion, or sum of
money
Stubberd. Apple so called
Stubbed. Healthy, strong
Stumpt. Pressed the foot
hard
Stunpole. A thick-headed,
stupid fellow
Suent. Even, smooth
Sun dance. " In some parts
of Ireland the day before
Easter-day is called ' Holy
Saturday;' and about four
o'clock the next day the
people rise to see the sun
dance, in honor of the re-
surrection. This ignorant
custom is not confined to
the humble labourer and
his family, but is scrupu-
lously observed by many
respectable and wealthy
families, different mem-
bers of whom I have heard
assert positively, that they
have seen the sun dance
on Easter-day. The folly
is kept up by the fact, that
no one can view the sun
steadily at any hour ; and
those who choose to look
at its reflection in the
water, see it apparently
move, as they would on
any other day." M r.T. A.
Every-Day Book.
Brand points out an
allusion to this vulgar no-
tion, in an old ballad :
" But, Dick, she dances such a
way,
No sun, upon an Easter-day,
Is half so fine a sight."
Etery-Day Book.
Scott, in the first canto
of the ' Lady of the Lake,'
has the same idea :
" The stag at eve had drank r,
his fill,
Where danced the moon on
Mouan's rill."
Swap. Exchange
Swapping lunch. Large
piece
Swelter. Melt
Swinging. Huge.
T.
Tacked. Clapped
Tagster Bold-looking woman
73
Toilet. Hay-loft
C Tansy. A strong- smelling
plant
Tantara. Disturbance
Tantarabolus. The Devil
Tamtarems. Vagaries
Taring. Very
Taterdemalion. A ragged
dirty person
Taty. Potatoe
feel. Give
Teeled. Set
TeZZ. Talk
. Teerid. Closed
. Teen en. Light it
Tet ha. We shall have
Tet Jia'en ? Shall we have
it?
Tetta ? Shall we ?
Tetty. Nosegay
Thicka. That
TUickee. This
Thirl. Lean, thin, meagre
. Ticfc. In debt
Timber dishes. Trenchers
Tingling. Sharp
Toadstone. A concretion
said to be found in the
head of a toad. Shak-
speare has a comparison
in the opening of Act II.
(As you like it) which
aptly offers in support of
the common opinion :
" Sweet are the uses of adversity ;
Which, like the toad, ugly and
venomous,
\Vtiirs yet a precious jewel in his
head."
Toits. Hassocks
Tore. Broke
Touser. A coarse apron
Tozing. (Tp 1 pull or tumble
Transmogrified. Metamor- r
phosed
Trapes. An idle, slatternly
woman
Trapping. Walking
Trindle. A large tub to salt
meat in
Trouncing. Floundering?
Try. Do
Tuck. Slap
Turjster. (Tagster)
Turn. Wheel
Turr. An expression used
in driving pigs
Tweedling. Wagging
'J wine. Twist
Two-lowed chair. Arm-
chair
U.
Unraij. Undress
V.
Vady. Damp
Vagging. Flapping
Vail back vail cdye. Come
what will
Vailed. Fell
Vang. Take
Varden. Farthing
Veased. Hurried, drove
Vedgin>j. Sideling
G
74
Vet. Fetch
Weeny. Cry
Vetched a vege. To retire a
Wee-wow. Wrong
few steps, in order to rush
on with more violence
Well a fine. To a good
purpose
Vinied. The green mould
in cheese
Well sosse. Well-a-day
Virking. Teazing
Whipped aside. Turned
hastily aside
Vitty. Neat
Whister-clister. Box in the
Foot. Foot
ear
Fore. Stand forward
Widn't. Would not
Voretoken. Warning
Winders. Windows
Vraped. Drawn tight
Winding. Winnowing
Vreach. Violently
Wishness. Melancholy
Vreath. A low hedge
Witherly dolt. Clumsy
Vrozzy. Nice thing
persgn
Woolgathering. Bewildered
W.
Woundy. Very
Wraxling. Wrestling
Wai. Tongue
Waddled. Folded
Y.
Wattage. A lump
Yenned. Threw
Waiving. Rolling
Yerred. Swore
Wangery. Soft
Yoky molekit. A yellow,
Wants. Moles
unhealthy-looking person
Wop. Blow
Youl. Howl
Wapped. Slapped
Ware. Whether
Z.
Wared. Wore
Warnes. Warrant
Zamzawed. Over-done
Wassail. A liquor made of
Zeed zom 'ot. Saw some-
thin er
apples, sugar, and ale ;
figuratively, a drunken
-""S
Zeemed. Thought
bout :
Zimmetli. It seems
" The king does wake to-night
aud take his rouse,
Zittle. Settle ; high-backed
seat, common in farm
Keeps wassail, and the swag-
houses
g'ring upspring reels."
Shakspeare.
Zogging. Same as dozing
THE
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PE
1873
P3
1869
Palmer, Mary (Reynolds)
Devonshire courtship
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